SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 VOLUME 11, ISSUE 2 KPU’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
CHALLENGING CANADA'S COLONIAL PAST The legacies of historical figures are questioned as the country strives toward reconciliation
NEWS
Canadian Researchers Study Cannabis Use Among Students
› 04
CULTURE
Academics Come Together to Study Sexuality via KPU's ORGASM Lab
OPINIONS › 11
Millennials Shouldn't Ignore the Stock Market
› 13
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
STAFF Editor in Chief
Aly Laube editor@runnermag.ca
Managing Editor
Connor Doyle managing@runnermag.ca
Staff Writer
Braden Klassen staff@runnermag.ca
Community Reporter
Ashley Hyshka community@runnermag.ca
Production Manager
Sarah Kraft production@runnermag.ca
04 08 11 13
NEWS
Canadian Researchers Study Cannabis Use Among Students
“What we hope can come out of this is that students will be better informed and supportive of their peers in decision-making around cannabis use, and that they’ll be more aware of the effects of cannabis,” says Dr. Bonnie Leadbeater.
FEATURES
Challenging Canada's Colonial History
Just last month, the City of Victoria decided to remove a statue of John A. Macdonald from City Hall, and in 2017 the Elementary Teachers’ Federation in Ontario voted to rename all of the schools in the province that were named after him.
CULTURE
Academics Come Together via KPU's ORGASM Lab
Currently, some studies being conducted in the lab are accepting participants, including one called “Why Send a Dick Pic?”—the title of which largely speaks for itself.
OPINIONS
Millennials Shouldn't Ignore the Stock Market
While the stock market isn’t for everybody, especially in a debt-loaded generation like ours, it’s worth considering if you have some money saved up.
Photo Editor
Kristen Frier photos@runnermag.ca
HASHTAG KPU
Post on Twitter or Instagram about or around KPU and you could be featured! Art Director
Nicola Kwit art@runnermag.ca
Web Manager
Alex Rodriguez web@runnermag.ca
Operations Manager Scott Boux office@runnermag.ca 778-565-3801
CONTRIBUTORS Kyrsten Downton Tristan Johnston @RESLUS Jeremiah Ukponrefe
COVER BY Nicola Kwit
Fall Semester 2018
Arbutus 3710/3720 12666 72 Ave. Surrey, B.C, V3W 2M8 778-565-3801 www.runnermag.ca Vol. 11, Issue no. 2 September 18 // 2018 ISSN# 1916 8241
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All submissions to The Runner are subject to editing for style, quality, length, and legality. The Runner will not publish material which the editors deem to be harmful or discriminatory. The views expressed within the publication are not necessarily those of The Runner staff or of the Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society. 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 KPU is adaptable and changing, so is The Runner.
EDITORIAL
FROM THE EDITOR
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS MONTH
Hot tips for surviving on a plant-based diet at KPU Surrey Aly Laube | Editor in Chief When I first stopped eating meat, I was living on Commercial Drive and had all the options a vegetarian could dream of right on my doorstep. Within a couple blocks of my house, I could find delicious plant-based fare from burritos to curries without having to check Yelp once. That all changed when I came to class. Too deep into my degree, and finally committed to going vegan, I was forced to be aware of the glaring lack of decent food available to me and other plant-eaters on campus. As it stands, you can go to Tim Hortons and get a bagel (note: not all bagels) or oatmeal (only maple and mixed berry), or maybe even a garden salad dressed with balsamic vinaigrette. You could also ask for the off-menu “veggie sandwich” which is genuinely just vegetables and mustard between two slices of bread. If you don’t mind having your hash browns or potato wedges potentially sharing a frier with animal products, you can get those too, but you’ll have to stand in the dreaded line. Unless you’re desperate to save money on your food bill, Tim’s is seldom worth the wait. You can skip the line and go to the Grassroots, where there are decent choices for vegetarians and very few choices for vegans. Most of the wraps can be made vegetarian pretty easily, but they’re notoriously subpar, and the well-loved mac n’ cheese is a no-go for vegans. The veggie panini was my personal favourite before mayonnaise and cheese left my diet, but I miss it every day. The vegetarian stir-fry with rice is my new love now, and it’ll be even better when you need something warm to satisfy you. The vegan brownies are great for those with a sweet tooth, but just make sure you ask before buying them to be sure that they don’t contain animal products. Next, and last, is Sodexo. This company runs the Tim’s, but they only control the menu in the on-campus cafeterias. Over the years, they seem to have been trying harder to be accommodating and, to be fair, they do offer two vegetarian burgers. The garden burger and spicy black bean burger are each less than $7.00, and they’re certainly edible, though whether either of them are vegan is not indicated on their menu.
SEPT. 19
SCI-LIT-WEEK FILM SCREENING
Conversations about plastic straws in the ocean are more relevant than ever. Check out a screening of the awardwinning documentary A Plastic Ocean to learn more about the consequences of marine pollution. 11:45 am - 1:30 pm,
KPU Surrey Library Arbutus 1040, free.
SEPT. 22-23 CONFERENCE ON CHINESE MEDICINE
This two-day conference exploring the application of Traditional Chinese edicine for respiratory diseases will feature a number of special guest speakers, including world-renowned practitioners.
(Nicola Kwit) There are lots of paninis that look delicious, a few of which I’ve had and can recommend but can not promise are vegan. Two guaranteed vegan options are the falafel wrap and rustic grilled veg wrap, which I have never had and can not vouch for, and you can pick up side salads, vegetables, and fruits from the coolers they have by the tills. And that’s it. Out of all of the items mentioned above, only the Grassroots veggie panini really gets my heart pumping, and there’s no way to make it vegan without ruining it. Surely there are plenty of secrets, “veganizing” methods, and undiscovered orders that I’ve yet to find—on top of specials that rotate day by day—but overall, vegetarian and vegan food at KPU is pretty abysmal. You can always go across the street to find food. If you’re a vegetarian, get a veggie slice from Kwantlen Pizza and slather it with hot sauce and peppercorns. The pizza is good and usually fresh, plus it’s only $1.00 per slice, which has enticed me to eat breakfast there more often than I would like to admit. There are also two restaurants on either side of Kwantlen Pizza: a Pakistani place called Gulberg and an Indian bar and grill
called Urban Masala. Both offer items like vegetarian curry, flavorful salads, naan and hummus, samosas, and so on. If you have some time on your hands, I recommend sitting down and getting your money’s worth at one of these spots. However, the best way to stay nourished and happy as a vegan or vegetarian on campus is pretty simple: Bring your own meals. It’s not what most students want to hear, but it’s the truth. Only you know which products and recipes you like and don’t like, and you have a better bet of saving money and staying healthy if you come prepared with snacks or a readymade lunch. Before you go to bed or leave the house, do some prep work. Cut your veggies and, if you’d like to, cook them. Make some rice and throw that in a tupperware container. Add tofu, vegan sauce, nuts, or whatever else your heart desires. Bring trail mix, fruit, granola bars, and other quick energy fixes. You’ll be thanking yourself when your stomach is grumbling on your tiny rest from a three hour class. Your bank account, and taste buds, will thank you too.
NEWS BRIEF
KPU’s My Action Plan Helps Students Track the Progress of their Degrees Braden Klassen | Staff Writer The Kwantlen Polytechnic University My Action Plan (MAP) website is a little-known tool that can help students determine exactly which degree requirements they have and haven’t met. MAP aggregates useful information like student transcripts, GPA, degree requirements, and academic standing all on one worksheet. The website is designed to assist students who are confused about how many credits they still need to graduate or which courses they still need to take to fit their degree framework.
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Students who are planning to consult with KPU academic advisors about which courses they will need to take, or how close they are to finishing their major and/or minor, can first take a look at their MAP audit in order to prepare for their meeting. Unfortunately, the university’s newly-implemented online platform ONE.KPU does not link to the MAP website as of yet, so students will need to search for it online. For those planning to enrol next semester, taking a look at MAP before choosing which courses to take can help streamline the process as it allows users to determine exactly which
available courses they need to register for. MAP also has a “what if” function which students can use to explore other programs and see how their academic history fits the requirements of other degrees or diplomas. This might also be useful for students who are seriously considering changing their major or minor, or for students who are considering adding a minor to their degree and think that they may already be fulfilling some of the requirements. Making sure that you’re ticking all of the boxes off for getting your degree can be a cumbersome and tricky process, and using MAP could save students a lot of time and effort.
Sat. 8:30 am - Sun 4:00 pm,
KPU Richmond Melville Centre for Dialogue, free.
SEPT. 23
VANCOUVER AIDS WALK
The Kwantlen Student Association is inviting KPU students and community members to join them at the Vancouver AIDS walk, which supports people living with AIDS and HIV in B.C. 10:00 am - 4:00 pm,
Sunset Beach, free.
SEPT. 26 MUSIC@MIDWEEK
Every Wednesday the music department hosts a free performance on the Langley campus. This week’s is "Perfect Imperfections: The Art of a Messy Life" featuring KPU faculty members and students. 12:00 pm,
KPU Langley Auditorium, free.
SEPT. 27 IS RELIGION VIOLENT?
A KPU Multi-Faith Centre discussion group, hosted by MFC Chaplain Ethan Vanderleek, is asking this thoughtprovoking question. The conversation will be guided by William T. Cavanaugh's book The Myth of Religious Violence. 12:00 pm,
KPU Multi-Faith Centre, free.
SEPT. 29 LYNN CANYON HIKE
Active KSA wants to get you out and moving! Make sure to wear clothing that’s comfortable if you want to join them on their hiking tour of Lynn Canyon. Register for the event on their website by Sept. 25 to attend. 11:00 am - 1:00 pm,
Lynn Canyon, free.
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NEWS
Zed Cred Program Continues to Cut Textbook Costs with New Diploma Students can earn the Adult Graduation Diploma without having to pay for a single textbook Ashley Hyshka | Community Reporter Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s trailblazing Zed Cred program is offering a new diploma for students who haven’t yet graduated from high school. The program is a collection of courses which come with zero associated textbook costs. The first half includes arts courses, which students can take to earn a one-year Certificate of Arts credential or any other arts degree. The program was officially announced in November 2017, but formally implemented in spring 2018. The newest addition to the program is the Adult Graduation Diploma, which was not created by KPU but was awarded on behalf of the Ministry of Advanced Education. This encompasses qualifying courses in English, math, and biology, and is the equivalent of receiving a GED diploma. “KPU is the leading institutional adopter of open educational resources in the province and in the country,” says Rajiv Jhangiani, a KPU psychology instructor and the special advisor to the university’s provost on open education. An advocate for the open education resource movement, Jhangiani explains that the Adult Graduation Diploma was incorporated into Zed Cred because it fills an existing need among prospective KPU students. Over the next few years, he expects that at least three new programs will be introduced. “Affordability of higher education is a really big issue,” he says. “More broadly, higher education is meant to be a vehicle of economic and social mobility.”
Open education textbooks are published under creative commons licenses and can be downloaded for free online. They can also be modified and adapted for individual needs by instructors. From 1977 to 2016, the cost of commercial textbooks skyrocketed by 1,041 per cent. Jhangiani says this increase is greater than any other consumer good on the market, adding that “54 per cent of students in B.C. are not buying at least one of their required textbooks because of cost.” He also notes that a quarter of B.C. students are selecting or withdrawing from courses based entirely on textbook costs. The students who are most likely to do this are marginalized, including those in visible minorities or holding student loans, and are more likely to be the first in their family to attend university, according to Jhangiani. “Students who are economically precarious … are being forced into these negative choices,” he says. “So they’re suffering the most.” The Zed Cred program has received multiple grants from external organizations that are often matched by the university. KPU has received $35,000 in funding from BCcampus, a contribution which was only awarded to two other universities. Amanda Coolidge, Senior Manager of Open Education at BC Campus, says that KPU was selected for this grant because of its commitment to zero-cost materials for its Certificate of Arts. “KPU is a leader in open education both in B.C. and globally, and the time was right
KPU psychology instructor and proponent of open education, Rajiv Jhangiani. (Ashley Hyshka) for KPU to make the transition from single open textbook adoptions to a full certificate pathway,” she says. Unsurprisingly, students have been extremely receptive to the Zed Cred program. Jhangiani says it’s because “students know how expensive textbooks are [and they] know the pain of buying the textbooks and then seeing that it’s not actually used in the classroom.” “There’s nothing more infuriating than spending that $200 [on a textbook] which, what, translates into how many extra hours working a minimum wage job?” asks Jhangiani.
Many instructors at KPU have also been supportive of the program. Some are writing their own OER textbooks, while others have adopted pre-existing ones. Separate universities across Canada have even approached KPU asking for help in implementing their own Zed Cred programs, according to Jhangiani. “It’s not just [about] the cost. It’s what the impact is on their lives, on their mental health, and on their course performance,” he says. “And if KPU’s an open access institution, this is what we should be doing.”
Youth and Marijuana: What can we expect? Canadian Researchers StudyCanadian Long-Term Cannabis Use Among Students Patterns of marijuana use, mental health, educational and occupational outcomes from adolescence to adulthood We tracked 662 young Canadians’ marijuana use across more than a decade (age 15-28) to see how different
patterns of use affects mental health, substance use, education and achievement from adolescence to adulthood. Experts from UVic and St. Francis Xavier hope to better understand the health of young cannabis users This is what we found...
The Canadian government is preparing to turn over a new leaf by legalizing marijuana, a substance which has been legally restricted since 1923. Leading up to October, researchers are looking to clear some of the smoke surrounding the impact of long-term cannabis use, particularly among younger students. A report published in The Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science tracked the behaviour of cannabis users between the ages of 15 and 28 to determine the effects that cannabis use had on various aspects of their lives. The article, “Marijuana Trajectories in Canadian Youth: Associations With Substance Use and Mental Health”, followed users for over a decade to track their patterns of use and how it affected their mental, academic, and socioeconomic wellbeing. Dr. Bonnie Leadbeater, a psychology professor at the University of Victoria who contributed to the article, says that she hopes studies like this will continue to shed light on the long-term effects of cannabis use, especially once it becomes legal. “What we hope can come out of this is that students will be better informed and supportive of their peers in decision-making around
cannabis use, and that they’ll be more aware of the effects of cannabis,” she says. The study divides students into five categories based on how frequently they use cannabis in any form. 27 per cent of users can be categorized as “occasional,” meaning that they use cannabis only a few times per month or per year. 20 per cent are considered “increasers,” which means they start with lower levels of consumption that increase to once per week or more and then steadily decrease. “Decreasers,” who typically use at least once a week when they are younger but use less as time goes by, constitute 14 per cent. 11 per cent are “chronic” users, who consume the most. Usually, they started using cannabis at least once per week or more in their youth. The final 29 per cent of those surveyed report never using cannabis and are categorized as “abstainers.” Chronic users are more likely to have higher debt and lower income than those who abstain from using cannabis, or those who only use it a few times a month or less. Heavy users are also more likely to smoke cigarettes. “Heavier use is linked to lower academic performance, higher potential for mental health issues like depression and anxiety, and higher levels of consumption of alcohol or other drugs, and more frequent users tend
71%
29%
reported using marijuana in the past decade
Types of Users
had never used marijuana at all
Not everyone uses marijuana in the same way. We found 5 different types of use patterns from adolescence to young adulthood:
Decreasers
Increasers Start low & increase rapidly to > once/week, then slowly decline
20%
Use heavily in adolescence (about once/week) & then steadily decrease their use over time
14%
Chronic users
11%
Start early and use often: > once/week at all ages
27% Occasional users
29% Abstainers Decreasers
Use a few times/year to a few times/month
No marijuana use
Researchers' data helped categorize students based on their levels of cannabis use. of Dr. B. Leadbeater) What are some of the outcomes associated with(Courtesy high marijuana use? to work in less prestigious professions later around cannabis use will help students make Compared to Abstainers, frequent users (Chronic users andthat Increasers) arethem muchin more in life,” says Leadbeater. decisions benefit the long term. likely to experience: Canadian youth are among the most fre“It’s not a recreational activity in the sense quent users of cannabis in the world, which that sports are, and when it is sold in stores it Leadbeater says is one of the reasons that this will be more like alcohol, which is considered $ kind of research is so important to students. retail and not recreational,” she says. She feels that dispelling some of the myths $
Braden Klassen | Staff Writer
depression, anxiety and behavioural problems
higher debt, less income, and greater difficulty paying for bills and medical treatments
heavier use of alcohol and illicit drugs and more substance use disorders
poorer school performance and less prestigious jobs
NEWS
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Past and Present KPU Brewing Students Collaborate on New Line of Beers Six graduates of the program worked together on the project Ashley Hyshka | Community Reporter As if beer wasn’t already glorious enough, the work being done at KPU’s brewery just made it a bit more enticing. The Alumni Collection Series is a new line of beers developed by students in the Brewing and Brewery Operations program working in collaboration with six of the program’s graduates. Alek Egi, an instructor in and the chair of the brewing department, says that the collection was developed over the summer to connect KPU to the commercial beer industry, to stay in touch with the program’s graduates, and to advertise the university’s brewing program. “It just makes perfect sense to work with our graduates and alumni,” says Egi. Many of the program’s graduates currently work in various capacities at many different breweries. Egi says that some of them have found great success and won awards for the beers that they have developed. Ashley Brooks, a 2016 graduate of the program and one of the collaborators on the series, is a shining example of that. She is currently the quality control manager at Four Winds Brewing in Delta. Brooks developed the "lemon drop kettle sour" brew in the Alumni Collection Series and decided to work on the project to catch up with other
graduates from the program. “It's always fun to brew on another system and work with other people outside of your coworkers,” she says. According to Brooks, the department had only brewed one type of kettle sour before and was interested in developing a second version to make something “different than your standard beer." Crisp and pucker-your-lips-sour, Brooks calls the lemon drop kettle sour "an acquired taste.” The brew is dry hopped, giving it fruity and citrus notes. “It's nice that they can reach out to so many talented alumni and get them in there during the off season, when there's no students, and fill up the tanks with some creative brews,” she adds. Egi describes Brooks as a “very proactive” student, noting that she already had a job at a brewery one month after entering the program. The brewing program does distribute its beer, but only from kegs to growlers, not individual pints. The public is welcomed to stop by the lab and purchase some on Fridays from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm. “Our beer sales were, I would say, phenomenal this summer. We were selling everything that was produced,” says Egi. KPU Brewing and Brewery Operations program has performed remarkably well. Last
Alek Egi, chair of KPU’s brewing department. (Ashley Hyshka) year, its students won a gold and silver medal at the U.S. Open College Championship, and this year they were awarded the bronze medal. They also won a bronze for their Weissbier brew at this year’s B.C. Beer Awards. When Brooks entered the program, she came from a micro biology background, which she drew from during her hands-on brewing work. Even though she has graduated, she says that she's always learning new things at Four Winds. Her advice for new brewing students is to ask a lot of questions, reach out to
JUST BECAUSE THEY SWIPED RIGHT DOESN’T MAKE IT RIGHT.
Sexual violence and misconduct can never be part of student life. It will not be tolerated. Make campuses safe for everyone, play your part.
others for help, and work part-time in a brewery while studying. The employment rate for program graduates is over 90 per, cent and the brewing program is often approached by local breweries seeking new recruits. “Everybody that wants to find a job can find a job in the breweries if they’re students here,” says Egi. “Our students are ready to start working in the breweries the next day, right after they graduate.”
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FEATURES
Journalism Isn’t Dead; It’s Changing How the industry has evolved across Canada, Vancouver, and even here at KPU Ashley Hyshka | Community Reporter
The life of a journalist is a demanding one. In addition to anticipating long work hours and waning pay grade, students in university journalism programs are told repeatedly that the industry’s glory days are over. Despite the challenges, newsrooms are still evolving with the times, helping to shape—as well as being shaped by—a modern public. Even as newspapers are being shuttered around the country, students continue to attend classes in Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s journalism department. Many of them are prepared to become the reporters and broadcasters of tomorrow, even if those roles don’t exist in the forms that they have for most of the past century.
The report states that the number of news- 2019 school year. He says that KPU’s jour- ton adds that, even after achieving a post-secpapers sold per 100 households in 1950 was nalism department has been redesigned and ondary degree, working journalists never stop 102. In 2015, that number dwindled to 18 has seen the addition of new classes as well learning new things. newspapers sold per 100 households, and it’s as the removal and rebranding of others. The “Journalism school gives you a chance to fail, projected that it will further decrease to just program has also been simplified in that the without it costing you anything other than two newspapers by 2025. number of required courses has been reduced. maybe a grade,” says Hamilton. “And having a “Without a doubt, the loss of so many talSeveral former staff members have retired safe and supportive place to feel like you can ented journalists—not just from our news- or are on leave, but new faculty members do that, you can push yourself. You can explore room, but across the country—has impacted have been hired, including Pamela Post, a areas you may not know that you’re interested specifically local news and the number of CBC reporter. Hamilton says that this shift in. I think there’s huge value in that.” stories that people in the community regular- in the department dynamic has allowed for ly get access to,” says Bolan. “We still try to a new set of skills that can be passed from Hope for Aspiring Journalists cover the issues, just in a broad context.” professors to their students. Today’s journalists must possess a wider “Bringing new people on brings new energy to Earlier this year, University Affairs reportskillset than any of those before them. In addi- the department,” he says. “It’s an exciting time.” ed that the federal government committed tion to conducting research for stories, they The program’s two photojournalism cours- $50 million over five years to support commust also develop sources, take photos and es have been rebranded as “visual journalism” munity-based journalism, and according to The Disappearing Newsroom video, and distribute their work on social media. and teach students how to work with both a recent survey by the Toronto Star, 94 per While the workload is heavier, Bolan notes photography and video. Two audio story- cent of Canadians believe that journalism is According to an article in JSource that was that modern technology, particularly social telling courses have also been added, which important to democracy. authored by KPU journalism professor Chad media, has made information much more Hamilton says were introduced due to the risWhile some of the existing journalism jobs Skelton, “between 2001 and 2016—a time of readily accessible to reporters. In a time when ing popularity of podcasts. aren’t the glamorous, high paying, unionized mass layoffs at daily newspapers across the “journalists know a little bit about a lot,” she While prospective journalists can learn careers of the past, Bolan says a wide array of country—the total number of journalists in the has learned how to navigate and obtain infor- many of the skills they need by jumping right positions remain available for young journalists. country declined by only 7 per cent.” When it mation from a wide variety of sources. into the industry, something Hamilton himSkelton’s article about the evolving nature includes Canada’s entire workforce, “the relaShe adds that, despite many modern com- self did, he says that the technical, writing, of the journalism industry explains that the tive share of journalists is down by 20 per cent.” plaints about biased reporting and “fake and critical thinking skills taught in journal- declining number of journalists in Canada is Local outlets have been hit the hardest, news,” public trust in journalism is up. To ism school are invaluable. due in part to the fact that they’re also workwith many smaller newspapers shrinking in combat the misconception that reporters are “Our students come out of this with an ing in various capacities. For example, “for size, merging with other outlets, or being shut not trustworthy, they must simply continue understanding about how we got here, so they every job lost in journalism since 2011, there down completely. Even one of Vancouver’s to report the truth, says Bolan. understand what’s happening in the media have been 17 jobs added in public relations largest newsrooms, The Vancouver Sun, has landscape and start exploring and thinking, and advertising,” it reads. not been immune to these industry changes. The Benefits of J-School ‘Okay, what’s my role in that?’” he says. Hamilton says that many of KPU’s gradKim Bolan, a 34-year veteran of The VanSome journalists, Hamilton explains, uates have traditional journalism careers, couver Sun, is more aware of the industry’s A July article published in University Affairs didn’t receive a formal education in journal- but others enter communications and pubdecline than most. reported that, from 2010 to 2015, enrolment in ism and were still able to succeed in the field. lic relations or become freelancers. Others A beat reporter who covers gangs and orga- Canadian journalism schools was around 5,500, Other journalists say that journalism school use the skills they learned at school to find nized crime, Bolan’s interest in journalism but by the 2015-16 school year, there were less is a waste of time, to which Hamilton says: success with other careers. piqued during her youth. She grew up in the than 4,800 journalism students across Canada. “There’s no single best way into journalism. While a career in journalism won’t make Watergate era, which is when she saw “the Despite these numbers, Bolan believes [It’s] whatever works for the individual.” a person wealthy, Hamilton describes it power of journalism.” that those interested in news and current Bolan earned a bachelor’s degree from the as “amazing” and says that journalists are The Vancouver Sun, she explains, used to events should still pursue a formal educa- University of Victoria, later received her mas- “always learning about something.” employ a wide variety of reporters to focus tion in journalism. ter’s in journalism from Western University, His advice for aspiring journalists is to be on certain topics or “beats.” Because of the “I love that there are still so many stu- and now teaches part-time at Langara. She proactive and to write and read often and feardownsizing at The Sun, Bolan says this style dents that are interested in journalism, recommends attending journalism school lessly. He also suggests that, with an underof print journalism has all but disappeared. despite some of the challenges the industry because it diversifies one’s skill set. standing of the changing media landscape, “Like many newsrooms across the country, has faced in recent years,” she says. “And I Hamilton adds that journalism school young journalists explore different avenues for we’ve really been decimated in terms of loss hope it continues.” is a worthwhile endeavor because it looks which niches pique their curiosity. He believes of staff,” Bolan says. In the Lower Mainland, existing programs good on a resume and will attract attention that the people who are determined enough to Across Canada, “169 news outlets either include KPU’s four-year Bachelor of Journalism from potential employers. According to him, succeed in this industry will do so. closed outright or were merged into other program, two-year diploma programs at Langa- today’s employers “want someone who can Bolan believes that, as journalists, “we outlets between 2008 and late 2016,” accord- ra and BCIT, and a master’s degree at UBC. come in and hit the ground running.” should be proud of the profession we’ve choing to a report by the Public Policy Forum Mark Hamilton, the chair of KPU’s journalJournalism schools now are constantly sen [and] the work that we do.” called Shattered Mirror. ism department, is optimistic about the 2018- adapting to meet industry demands. HamilShe continues, “I do think truth will prevail.”
KPU's department of journalism underwent a number of changes in anticipation of the 2018-2019 school year. (Kristen Frier)
The chair of KPU's department of journalism, Mark Hamilton. (Ashley Hyshka)
Kim Bolan, veteran crime reporter of the Vancouver Sun. (Submitted)
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A statue of Egerton Ryerson. (Flickr/booledozer)
This statue of Edward Cornwallis was taken down in January 2018 after Halifax City Council voted to remove it and put it in storage. (Deviantart/tari-Stock)
A photograph taken in 1945 at St. Anne's Indian Residential School in Ontario. In 2009, the Vatican released an "expression of sorrow" of the treatment of Indigenous children in lieu of an official apology. (Wikimedia Commons)
A photograph taken in 1908 at the Regina Indian Residential School. The school closed in 1910 and was demolished in 1948. (Wikimedia Commons)
FEATURES
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Challenging Canada’s Colonial History From removing statues to revamping education, Canadians are coming to terms with their country’s problematic past Braden Klassen | Staff Writer
On July 1, 1867, the British Colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Canada were united, setting the foundation for the country as we know it today. This union of the colonies was orchestrated by the 36 “Fathers of Confederation,” including Canada’s first prime minister, John A. Macdonald, and Quebec MP Hector Louis Langevin. Macdonald’s presence on the $10.00 bill is a reminder of his persistent legacy. Schools, parks, streets, and bridges across the country bear his name. Numerous monuments and statues have been constructed in his honour. His contributions to Canadian Confederation in 1867 are undeniable, but the injustices he perpetrated, the irreversible suffering his actions and ambitions caused, and his reprehensible views concerning Indigenous and Chinese people are becoming more prominent in public discussion about his character. Through the Ministry of Indian Affairs, the early Canadian government under John A. Macdonald supported the involvement of the Catholic Church in the residential school system, withheld land promised to the Red River Métis in the Manitoba Act of 1870, and orchestrated the starvation and deaths of thousands of Indigenous people across the prairies in order to force them onto reserves and facilitate the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Just last month, the City of Victoria decided to remove a statue of Macdonald from City Hall after consulting with the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations. In 2017, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation in Ontario voted to rename all of the schools in the province that were named after Macdonald. He isn’t the only historical figure whose legacy is finally beginning to incorporate the travesties perpetrated in Canada’s colonial past. The Langevin Block on Parliament Hill was renamed due to Langevin’s involvement in implementing residential school programs—programs which many say led to some of the worst human rights abuses in the country’s history. When advocating for the residential school system, Langevin was quoted as saying, “If you wish to educate the children you must separate them from their parents during the time they are being taught. If you leave them in the family they may know how to read and write, but they will remain savages, whereas by separating them in the way proposed, they acquire the habits and tastes of civilized people.” Egerton Ryerson, who was one of the original architects behind creating a separate school system for Indigenous children, is also being questioned. Students at Ryerson University in Toronto are advocating for the school’s name to be changed and a statue depicting Ryerson to be removed. A statue
of Edward Cornwallis, founder of Halifax, “We don’t want to erase him from history,” was taken down last year due to Cornwallis’s she continues. “It’s important to know what institution of a bounty reward for killing and he did.” scalping Mi’kmaq people in 1749. The statue “In ripping down John A. Macdonald’s stathad been the subject of public controversy ue, I just hope we don’t miss that teachable since the 1980s. moment to remind people who John A. MacThe complicated legacies of these men donald is,” says Ahluwalia. “And this time include their contributions to building a the reminders need to come from the people nation, but also their sanctioning and active who experienced John A. Macdonald not as encouragement of terrible violence toward this glorious nation-founder, but as one of Indigenous people, humanitarian transgres- the architects of the destruction of so many sions, and unapologetic genocide. peace and friendship agreements.” “History is not monolithic,” says Seema AhluThorner says that many Canadians walia, a KPU sociology instructor whose work are ignorant of just how widespread and focuses on racialization, First Peoples studies, long-lasting the effects of colonialism really and decolonization of educational curricula. were. The last residential school to close was “History is viewed from many different per- the Gordon Indian Residential School in Sasspectives, and when I think about Canadians katchewan, which operated until 1996. tearing down statues as a gesture of reconcil“Most Canadians have been happy not to iation, I’m worried that the gesture is a very know much about their history, and then all tokenistic one.” of a sudden they’re surprised that these peoThe discourse surrounding these issues ple reflected the context of their times,” says is largely split between those who advocate Thorner. “It’s so profound; it’s everywhere. for challenging the rosy legacies of colonial There are so many other things named after figures and those who worry that in doing so, people that we are going to be suspicious of.” we may end up covering up elements of this jaye simpson, an Oji-Cree Anishinaabe country’s past that should never be forgotten. Indigenous activist, agrees with the removal “I don’t think we can hide history. I think of the statues, but argues that the Truth and we have to confront the ghosts,” says Dr. Tom Reconciliation Commission still has ground Thorner, Chair of the Department of Histo- to cover when it comes to the rights of sex ry at KPU. “You can’t deny history. You can workers and acknowledging the intersectiontry to explain it better to people so that they ality of these issues. have a better understanding of what culture “I think [the statues] all need to go. [They’re] was like in the past.” portraying a certain history that isn’t truthSarah Strachan, the Kwantlen Student Asso- ful,” simpson says. “Statues are coming down ciation’s Indigenous Students Representative, but folks aren’t getting a proper education as says that she had never heard of the residen- to why they’re coming down.” tial school programs until three years ago. “[They believe] they’re coming down “Education is key. People need to under- because they’re offensive, but why is it stand what happened and what is still going offensive? Are we changing the school curon,” she says. riculum to acknowledge the fact that John Canadian schools are integrating Indig- A. Macdonald, Ryerson, Cornwallis were enous studies into their curriculum in all abusers and colonizers, and should be response to calls to action published by the charged for humanitarian crimes?” they ask. Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Stra- “No, we’re not talking about that.” chan says that her younger family members Ahluwalia feels that removing statues of are receiving a more complete education these figures “speaks more to an aspect of about Canada’s colonial history than she did Canadian culture, [which is] conflict aversion." when she was their age. “I think that the quick knee-jerk reaction of “I’m excited for them to learn because I tearing down statues will not tear down our didn’t get that opportunity and I’m kind of history, will not erase the importance of underdoing it by myself right now,” she says. standing what is really going on here,” she says. Strachan, whose mother was adopted by The abuse perpetrated against children in a white family when she was an infant, says residential schools resulted in widespread that her upbringing in a white family envi- psychological trauma, the aftermath of which ronment prevented her from learning about is still being felt by Indigenous people today. Indigenous peoples’ history. An academic study published in 2014 by pro“I think it was a good move to take [the Mac- fessors at Carleton and The University of donald statue] down,” she says. “A majority Ottawa examines how research “has providof the people looking at these statues aren’t ed consistent evidence of the enduring links thinking, ‘Oh, he did all this bad stuff.’ He was between familial IRS [Indian Residential just the first Prime Minister of Canada.” School] attendance and a range of health and
social outcomes among the descendants of those who attended.” There is a growing academic interest in the lasting social impacts of the residential school system and the “Sixties Scoop”, when Indigenous children were taken from their communities by the Canadian government and put up for adoption by mostly white families. Scholars are increasingly acknowledging the importance of decolonizing both current and historical discourse around these issues. University of Regina Associate Professor James Daschuk’s book, Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Aboriginal Life has become one of the most cited works of literature that deconstructs Canada’s treatment of Indigenous people. In 2014, Daschuk won the Governor General’s History Award for Scholarly Research, also known as the Sir John A. Macdonald Prize. “As a white scholar, I was able to take winning the prize in stride and just think of it as an ironic thing that my work, which exposed Macdonald’s inhumanity, won the Macdonald prize,” said Daschuk in an interview with the National Post in 2017. “I can imagine a time when an Indigenous scholar wins the prize, and it’s going to be a slap in the face.” Canadian historians are advocating that the name of the prestigious award be changed. “We need to begin to have symposiums of acknowledging the violence if you want to keep the history,” says simpson. “You need to acknowledge that what is being taught is the colonial version, and that there’s always more than one version.” “We’re trying to be just in our time, but I don’t think we can change history,” says Thorner. “Every prime minister that came after Macdonald kept residential schools going, kept funding residential schools,” he adds. “So is everybody to blame for the problem?” For their part, provincial governments are amending curricula to fall in line with recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission—except for the Ontario government under Doug Ford, which, despite public assurances that the province is progressing with updating its curricula, actually cancelled a July project to update social studies and history lessons at the last minute. This angered Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars who had already travelled to Toronto to contribute to the rewrite. Many Canadians find it difficult to agree on how the country should atone for the cruelties of its colonial history, or if complete reconciliation is even possible at this point. People can agree, however, that if any progress is to be made, acknowledging the past and responsibly educating the generations of the future is likely the best place to start.
Student Snapshot KSA Welcome Week had many booths and stands to engage students. Free snacks, cool games, prizes, and a wealth of information regarding student resources were made available. (Aly Laube)
Pulp Mag and The Runner both had booths to generate interest among students and reach out to new contributors. (Aly Laube)
All kinds of cool games took place in the conference centre on Monday, Sept. 10. (Aly Laube) Meet Leo Chiang with REBOOT Computer Service. He seems to be enjoying himself, big smiles from Leo. (Aly Laube)
Did you spin the wheel? Did you try your luck? (Aly Laube)
CULTURE
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Training of the Shrew Thinks Outside the Box(ing Ring) KPU students and instructors kick ass in performance at Fringe Fest Kristen Frier | Photo Editor One line from William Shakespeare's Taming Of The Shrew—”Knock, sir! Whom should I knock? Is there a man has rebused your worship?”—began it all. “‘Whom should I knock, sir?’— and all of a sudden I pictured boxing gloves,” says Fred Ribkoff, an instructor at KPU as well as the co-director and co-writer of Training of the Shrew, which stars several students and staff members from KPU. The Training of the Shrew, an interpretation of the famous comedy by William Shakespeare, stays true to the general structure of the Taming of the Shrew, but comes with a big twist. In this case, Katherine, known as “the shrew,” and her younger sister Bianca are both female boxers. “Bianca the Golden Girl Minola” cannot sign to a trainer until one is found for “Katherina the Curst Minola.” Rather than Petruchio wooing Kate and “taming” her with love, he is interested in her “glove” as a trainer. The show has been in re-writes since last year, but a version of the play has been actively rehearsed since June of 2018. This version ran at Vancouver’s Fringe Fest from Sept. 7 to 16. “Much of the play is Shakespeare’s text,” says Ribkoff, who is also co-founder of the 1001 Steps Theatre Society. “I wrote in a training scene … I turned a male character, Gremio, into a woman and her name is Amazona Donna and she is the trainer of women boxers and the tamer of men.”
Baptista Minola and Bianca "The Golden Girl" Minola celebrate a victory in the ring. (Kristen Frier) According to a KPU student and actor in the play, Stephanie Suzanne, the Ribkoff’s revisions make the story less sexist and generally more palatable than Shakespeare’s original. She also describes her time on the cast as “an immense learning experience.” “I’ve learned so much about teamwork because you get so close to the people you act alongside,” she says. When it comes to performing Shakespeare, actors have to communicate in a very phys-
ical way because contemporary audiences have a hard time following the language in his works. Because of this, they “really have to pay attention to the rhythm of the language as well as the physicality,” explains Suzanne. Between its action-packed fight scenes, mild stunt work, and boxing ring style set, Training of the Shrew is sure to draw a crowd. Throughout the evening, theatre-goers will see a “Jazz Man” playing George Michael’s “Careless Whisper”, a “Ring Guy” showing some skin to
hype up the audience, and naughty dynamics between Bianca and Lucentio that would make your grandmother blush. According to Suzanne, the cast saw “a really great turnout” every night of the performance. If you are hoping to get involved in theatre, you can take one of the Interdisciplinary Expressive Arts (IDEA) courses at KPU. To keep up with future works by 1001 Steps, check out their website.
Academics Come Together to Study Sexuality via KPU's ORGASM Lab The lab is “powered by curiosity and a desire to educate” Kristen Frier | Photo Editor KPU psychology instructor Dr. Cory Pedersen created a lab in 2007 to develop projects for her class on adolescent development and human sexuality. It wasn’t until 2011, however, that it developed into the Observations and Research in Gender and Sexuality Matters (ORGASM) research lab. “At that time, the lab was reinvented to include any student with an interest,” says Pedersen. The lab primarily conducts online surveys in order to preserve the participants’ anonymity because, according to Pedersen, there is still a stigma against overtly discussing sex and gender. Amanda Champion, current lab manager and KPU alumni, describes this attitude as “squeamishness,” noting that it prevails even though sex is an important facet of life for most adults. Currently, some studies being conducted in the lab are accepting participants, including one called “Why Send a Dick Pic?”—the title of which largely speaks for itself. If you are a straight male over the age of 16, you are welcomed to answer this question through a fully anonymous forum. “We want to understand the different motivations men may have for sending unsolicited pictures of their genitals to others,” reads the lab website. Pedersen explains that sexology research is often disproportionately heteronormative, so
the ORGASM research lab’s staff makes sure its work does not pertain exclusively to those in heterosexual or monogamous relationships. Some findings which directly address underrepresented communities include, “Disability, Sexuality, and Gender” and “Evidence of Binegativity.” “We have had several studies published in peer-reviewed journals—eight published and three in review as of right now,” says Pederson. “ I don’t know that any are necessarily breakthroughs, but rather, [they] build on existing work and address limitations of previous findings.” The lab has also presented the results of 18 of its studies at a number of academic conferences, including those held by the Western Psychology Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality. “Our first publication determined that, contrary to the popular zeitgeist, exotic dancers did not differ from non-exotic dancers on measures of extraversion, neuroticism, or attitudes and sexual behaviors,” Pederson explains. Champion, who will be attending a Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality conference for the second time this year, says that working in the lab has “completely beefed up [her] resume.” “It has been an extremely enjoyable and educational experience and I recommend [that students who] are really research-focused try and get involved in a research lab,” she says.
Members of the ORGASM lab show off their posters at the Association for Psychological Science conference. (Submitted)
Members of the ORGASM Lab present their research at the Society for Scientific Study of Sexuality conference. (Submitted) The meetings held in the lab generally pertain to project development, status updates for ongoing work, task delegation and distribution, and practicing for presentations or
statistic interpretation. If any KPU students are interested in applying for a position as a research assistant for the lab, they can reach out to Pedersen at cory.pedersen@kpu.ca.
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OPINIONS
What I Learned from Being a Hufflepuff Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood taught me about loving myself Kyrsten Downton | Contributor I am a Hufflepuff. I am loyal, kind, and particularly good at finding things. But a few years ago, I would never have admitted that. I remember being called “weird” and a “know-it-all” every day. I remember the nasty, bitter tone that laced every vowel. I remember that pit in my stomach I’d feel. It swallowed me up instantly, cloaking me in shame. Growing up, I struggled to love myself for who I was. I would stare in a mirror and just beg to be different. I wanted to be someone who wasn't me. I wasted years trying so hard to embody this warped image of what I thought was normal. I struggled with pressure and anxiety to be perfect. I tried to be someone else with every fibre of my being. And I failed miserably at it. The Harry Potter series was my go-to escape from the real world when I was a kid. I'd read my much-loved copies of the books by an open window, secretly hoping that I would finally get my Hogwarts letter. But the books ended up being so much more than a way to escape—through them, I could find strength and reassurance. Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood, my two favourite characters from the series, were those pillars of strength. Both women were true to themselves throughout the series. They never thought about being anyone else. It wasn't until I got older that I realized the profound impact these two would have on my life. These strong women carried life lessons for me that I still reflect on to this day. Don’t Shy Away from Knowledge Everyone tried to shame Hermione for lov-
ing to learn. Did that stop her? Hell no, she just studied harder! Her brilliance helped save the day on more than one occasion. Let's be truthful here; if Hermione hadn’t been a “know-it-all,” Harry would have been dead by the end of the first book. Hermione taught me that, no matter how much someone could try to shame me for enjoying to read, there is no such thing as too many books. There is nothing wrong with wanting to learn. I wake up every morning striving to make sure I learn something new because of Hermione Granger. It's Okay to Be Weird Luna Lovegood's entire legacy was being the “weird one.” People kept their distance from her and bullied her. They didn't even try to get to know her. Yet Luna was still her same eccentric self in every novel. Nothing seemed to phase her— she didn’t care what others thought of her because their opinions did not matter. Luna's positive attitude toward her personality is something I admire and try to draw from. On days when I feel like my anxiety is going to take control, I think about Luna. Always be Kind If I had to choose one thing that I learned from both of these incredible women, it's that kindness should never be forgotten. Treating others with respect is the most important act of decency one person can show to another. Whether it was Hermione using her wit to fight for House Elf rights or Luna's unwavering loyalty to her loved ones, they always showed kindness to others. More importantly,
(@RESLUS) they showed kindness to themselves for being their own people. Be Yourself I quickly learned from Hermione and Luna that I could not be anyone else but myself. I couldn't stop being weird. I couldn't stop lov-
ing reading. I couldn't stop being a nerd, geek, loser, or any of those cliche terms used to bring someone down. Thanks to Hermione and Luna, I learned that it was okay to be me. It was okay to be a Hufflepuff. It was okay to be a know-it-all. It was okay to be weird. It is okay to be yourself.
Put It in Me: Linking IUDs and Endometriosis Take the initiative on researching reproductive health for yourself Nicola Kwit | Art Director For the past 13 years I have been at war with my uterus. It has been a painful, bloody, and sometimes crippling battle. Reinforcements, also known as doctors, have been less than helpful. I went to them in search of weapons and tactics to use in this epic conflict, which I’m sure Hans Zimmer would write the soundtrack to. What am I fighting my uterus over? A pretty common condition called Endometriosis, and though it affects an estimated 1 in 10 women in North America, its severity and symptoms vary. Personally, I have been (knowingly) dealing with Endometriosis since I was 17, but the doctor who diagnosed me was sure that I had it since I was 16. For those who don’t know, Endometriosis is a painful disorder which causes the tissue that usually lines the inside of the uterus to grow outside of the uterus and onto the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and tissues lining the pelvis. This also can result in cysts that grow on the ovaries. These are very painful, and having them is what led to my being diagnosed. Long story short, I had a large cyst burst, which caused me to pass out in the middle of history class in Grade 12 because the pain was so extreme. Since then, I have been on birth
control to level out the pain, nausea, and other various symptoms that result from Endometriosis. Without birth control, I wouldn’t be able to function for a week out of every month. And this is where my frustration begins. For the past six years or so, I’ve been looking into options outside of birth control pills to help my condition. In this time I’ve been told that I am taking the lowest dose I can, so I have nothing to worry about. I’ve had other birth control brands suggested to me, heard male doctors mansplain my own condition to me (I had to bite my tongue very hard), and been told to go off the pills cold turkey and “deal with it,” as one doctor said. I have also been told to use naturopathic aids, which I am always open to, but they did nothing. The one thing that none of them did was tell me that there is an IUD that can be used as a treatment for Endometriosis. I never knew about hormonal IUDs until I spoke to a friend about them a couple of months ago. I didn’t know it releases a lower dosage and is healthier for you than taking pills, and I didn’t know how helpful it could be to me until a counselor at the women’s clinic gave me the information no MD ever told me. This made me furious, but not surprised. Most times, when I went to the doctor to express my frustrations and pain, it was
(Nicola Kwit) brushed off and I knew I was not being taken seriously. I was just another woman exaggerating about the pain she experiences. Being a woman who has dealt with Endometriosis for over 10 years, not being told all my options by a doctor, or even a gynecologist, enraged me. I expressed this at the women’s clinic when I went in to get my IUD, and they told me very bluntly that it’s common.
Frequently, they said that women complained about not being heard, not told about all of their options, and being left in the dark as to what they can do to help themselves. When I finally did learn about the Mirena Hormonal IUD and its benefits, it took only took me a moment before I looked the counselor dead in the eyes and said, “Shove it in me.”
OPINIONS
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Millennials Shouldn’t Ignore the Stock Market If you can enter it, the stock market can work for you Tristan Johnston | Contributor Note: This article does not constitute investment advice and should be read as an opinion based on the experience of the writer. The writer has no securities qualifications. Capitalism has left a bad taste in the mouths of a lot of millennials. Bankrate found in a 2016 survey that only one-third of people aged 18 to 35 invest in it. But the stock market has always been open for anyone with more than $500 in savings. Brokerage fees are getting cheaper, especially with computers playing a larger part. Most of the chartered banks in Canada have services that can make it relatively simple to get involved. When buying and selling securities, you have a vast array of risk levels to choose from, as well as instruments that can make things as simple or as complicated as you’d like. Those who are new to the stock market should consider ETFs, mutual funds, or stocks which are considered “low risk.” ETFs are an especially interesting option because you can distribute your risk between several different stocks. For example, you could buy a few shares of $PILL, which is like buying into the pharmaceutical industry—in this case, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and so on. There are similar ETFs for mining, oil, software or hardware companies, and so forth. You could buy a bank stock, which traditionally don’t move much, but they do tend to offer a dividend. This is the company’s way of passing some of its profit over to you. Though it’s not true in all cases, stocks with dividends typically aren’t going to grow considerably, but
If you've got some cash burning a hole in your pocket, consider investing in the stock market. (Flickr/Russ Allison Loar) are stable and profitable. There are more risky and volatile stocks out there like Tesla, and given the negative numbers on their balance sheet, you should approach this with caution. Psychology has a tendency to drive a great deal of the market. While a large part of a stock’s value is tied to its ability to generate profit, the perceived future value of a company also plays a large part. This is why you may see growing stocks with high debt loads on their balance sheets. Sometimes a new investor buys a stock, checks it the next day, and sees that they just lost three per cent of their investment. If you’re new, this might give you a little bit of anxiety, but small adjustments such as these are rarely meaningful in the long term. If
there’s a large dip or jump on a stock, there’s often a good reason for it. A big one can be quarterly earnings, and whether or not they meet their projected expectations. Sometimes it’s related to news items, so if Trump applies tariffs to imported cars, expect Volkswagen’s stock price to dip. You can also bring your personal ethics into your investment choices. For instance, if you’re more environmentally inclined, you can stay away from oil companies and put your money into green energy if you so desire. The stock market has been a way for people to stay in the middle class, or even to join the upper class. The more Millennials get involved, the better the economy could become. Millennials are generally more equitable and socially
egalitarian than the generations before them, and that’s the group I would like to see on the boards of publicly traded companies. While the stock market isn’t for everybody, especially for a debt-loaded generation like ours, it’s worth considering if you have some money saved up. If you do your research, stocks will fluctuate but stay in an acceptable trading range and give you dividends, and while you shouldn’t expect quick and easy money, you might be happy you invested within a year or two. If you’re interested in getting into investing, make sure you research, research, research. Always take advice from more than one person.
What I Wish Student Orientation Had Taught Me University provides a lot of unique challenges; here are a few ways to handle them Jeremiah Ukponrefe First-year orientation is a great way to learn about resources designed to help new students transition from high school to university. During the typically day-long event, students are given a tour of the campus to identify important offices and facilities. They’re also told how to engage with the Kwantlen Student Association, which will advocate for them throughout their post-secondary experience. This is all helpful, but there’s plenty of important information that orientation doesn't share with new students. Often, this information can meaningfully improve one's experience at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. While orientation leaders make sure that students know about the KPU bookstore, I would only recommend using it as a last resort, as there are cheaper ways to purchase your books. I’ve taken classes where the textbook wasn’t necessary because my instructor’s lectures and notes gave sufficient information for understanding the material and doing well on the tests. If you can, wait to see your syllabus to check how textbook-dependent the curriculum will be before you buy at the bookstore. If a textbook is absolutely required for your course, local, online trading forums such as Craigslist and the Facebook page “Kwantlen Book Exchange” offer cheaper methods of getting what you need. In addition to demanding that you buy
expensive textbooks, university classes also come with a much heavier workload. Unlike in high school, your post-secondary instructors won’t chase you down to submit your work. The responsibility of gaining the most from your education falls on you alone, so make sure to engage with the material that you’re being taught. Ask questions if you don’t understand something, and if you think you have the answer to an instructor’s question, speak out. It’s a good way to help retain material you’ve previously acquired. Some people feel that needing to ask questions makes you look unintelligent, but in reality, seeking help when it’s needed is a smarter action then failing to understand coursework to preserve your pride. Another way to get engaged is to join a club. KPU clubs cover a wide range of interests from gaming to writing to fitness. Joining a club broadens your experience, offers resume-building opportunities, and can provide you with a stress-reducing environment to hang out in. If none of the clubs pique your interest, contact the KSA to get some information on starting your own. The first few weeks of university can be an anxious period for students, but by engaging in class, taking advantage of the resources that KPU has to offer, and finding time to relax, the years spent on campus can provide memories that you’ll carry with you after graduation.
Students check out the #kpucampuslife board on orientation day. (Kristen Frier)
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Artist Spotlight: Stevie's Revenge Vancouver can expect a second EP from the dream pop group by 2019 Aly Laube | Editor in Chief Musical fusion defines Stevie’s Revenge, a local four-piece most commonly described as “dreamy” but just as easily deemed indie rock or psych pop. Listen to their eponymous EP and you’ll be in for roughly 15 minutes of funky, easy listening that was recorded, mixed, and mastered by the members themselves last year. Multi-instrumentalist Daniel Tran and drummer Katrina Vu have been playing music together since Grade 11. Despite all the time they’ve spent performing together, Stevie’s Revenge is the first of their projects that they consider “serious,” and the first to produce a comprehensive record. Joined by bassist Owen Reimer and guitarist Evan Martinuik, they’re now laying down tracks for their second, currently unnamed EP, which is set to be released before the new year. Martinuik explains that the debut—with its cover adorned by an artistic rendering of Vu and Tran’s grumpy rabbit, Stevie—was more a product of their drive to put out content than it was a slow, meticulous crafting process. The next record will be more carefully assembled, presenting longer and more experimental songs than what has been heard from Stevie’s Revenge before. Surely the band will maintain its trademark sound: guitars heavy with reverb, whispery synths, and swinging bass riffs accompanied by Tran’s conversational lilt. But with the upcoming release, we’re likely to hear more elaborate instrumentation due to more collaboration and higher energy between the members. The band describes this sound as
Left to right: Daniel Tran, Owen Reimer, Evan Martinuik, and Katrina Vu are in the process of recording their next EP as Stevie's Revenge. (Leah (AlyRosehill) Laube) more “interesting” and “jammy.” “A lot of the songs on there are sort of a hodgepodge of all the different sounds that I like. I feel like every song has a different vibe,” says Tran, about the first EP. “A lot of the time I’ll write about things that I’ve read in books or seen in movies. Theme-wise, oftentimes it’s about love, love that doesn’t always work out. Also just feeling sort of lost in what you’re supposed to be doing at your age and sort of melancholy, I guess.” One such example is “Broken Radio”, the third song on their released record. The track, led by a twinkly but melancholy guitar riff, was inspired by the 2003 film Lost in Translation.
“In ‘Broken’, I’m writing about that feeling of being lost or feeling isolated in this big city, because the movie is set in Tokyo, which is this big sprawl, and the characters just get lost in it,” he says. “I think I had to blend that element from the movie with how we live here in Vancouver as well.” A few aspects of the band have changed since “Broken Radio” was released. Tran used to play bass in the band, but with Reimer involved, he’s able to play his two preferred instruments: synth and electric guitar. Using these, he has written new parts for old songs and new songs from a fresh perspective. The four members have also been focusing
on working together more, pushing boundaries in their songwriting, and blending their styles to create something that they hope is unlike anything else being offered in the local scene. “There’s a very obvious Vancouver music scene with a very obvious sound, and I personally try to not go with the herd and to sound differently,” says Martinuik. “Because we don’t fit in, we stick out a lot more.” Reimer adds, “I think we have a really collaborative sound because a lot of the time you’ll see a band and it’ll be like, ‘this is so-and-so and his band or her band.’ I feel like our songs are really performed as a unit a lot more.”
Afterthought: Weighing the Cost of Corporate Accountability Pharmaceutical companies should pay for their role in perpetuating B.C.’s opioid epidemic Braden Klassen | Staff Writer From the first day of 2016 to the last day of July 2018, the BC Coroners Service reported that 3,214 people died as a result of illicit drug overdoses in British Columbia. Prescription opioids, including codeine, oxycodone, morphine, and hydromorphone were detected in 16.5 per cent, or one in six, of these deaths. This means that, over the course of two and a half years, around 512 deaths in the province were caused by or related to opioid medications that can be legally prescribed to patients as pain killers. The epidemic of opioid addiction, overdoses, and deaths has been putting a growing burden on the B.C. healthcare system as well as community resources and social programs. Now, to address their culpability in the epidemic, the provincial government has filed a class-action lawsuit against 40 different pharmaceutical companies. The government claims that the marketing practices of companies including Apotex, Johnson & Johnson, Endo, Mylan, Purdue Pharma, and Loblaws were misleading, and that these companies developed and sold drugs like OxyContin and Percocet without fully informing doctors and patients of the high risk of addiction associated with using the opioids. According to the civil claim notice, in 2016 alone, Purdue—the company that sells Oxy-
Contin—gave $2 million to Canadian doctors “as part of their marketing efforts.” The government believes that this constitutes “negligence” and “fraudulent misrepresentation and deceit” on the part of the company. In 2017, The City of Vancouver increased property taxes by 0.5 per cent to fund a contingency reserve for dealing with “the ongoing community impacts of the overdose crisis.” The reserve holds $3.5 million of municipal taxpayers’ money; Every single property owner in Vancouver is now contributing financial aid to combat the opioid epidemic. If taxpayers in the city can be called upon to take responsibility for helping counteract the crisis, surely the companies that manufacture the drugs that are likely making it worse should also be held accountable. While this lawsuit is the first of its kind in Canada, it’s not completely unprecedented. Decades ago, B.C.’s campaign against tobacco companies showed that corporations profiting from products that cause illness or death will be held responsible for their impact on the medical system and, ultimately, the taxpayers. Companies like Purdue that allegedly lied to medical professionals and the public about the true dangers of opioid painkillers have caused unimaginable anguish for thousands of families across the province. It’s a cost that the individuals responsible—those who chose to prioritize company profits over the safety
(@RESLUS) and wellbeing of others—will never truly pay. In fact, whatever settlement is ultimately reached is guaranteed to be infuriatingly disproportionate to the money that these companies have made. As of 2017, Purdue has reportedly generated $35 billion from OxyContin alone. Those behind this mass tragedy will not face true justice until the penalties associated
with corporate accountability outweigh the profits that their companies stand to gain. Until then, this cycle will never end, and the sociopaths behind big pharma’s mantra will continue to ring true: It’s just the cost of doing business.
PROCRASTINATION HOROSCOPES
Sagittarius
Capricorn
Aquarius
You are young, you are healthy. You are the oncoming storm, the deluge that wipes the earth clean. Dress appropriately.
Damn Millennials, YOU RUINED THE MILLENIUM!
Your favourite band wants you dead.
Pisces
Aries
Taurus
If you campaign pretty hard this season, there’s a good chance you’ll be elected the Lord of Misrule, the Abbot of Unreason, or, just maybe, the revered High Priest of Dumb Shit.
Break your bones to establish dominance over your treacherous skeleton.
[This horoscope is just the song “Karma Chameleon” in its entirety.]
Gemini
Cancer
Leo
You will be haunted by the ghost of a luchador who lost his mask in a steel cage match. Dress appropriately.
Harness the awesome power of meditation to unleash a devastating psych attack on your enemies.
Making a rap mixtape is ABSOLUTELY the best way to deal with all of your problems, and I would encourage you to drop out of school to more fully dedicate yourself to the art.
Virgo
Libra
Scorpio
You tried being philosophical. It’s time to get upset.
There is no bigger number than 24. Stop counting, you’re flying too close to the sun.
Don't forget that your regularly scheduled orgy was pushed back this week to accommodate the national Twister championships, so, uh, dress appropriately.
Nov. 23 - Dec 21
Feb 20 - Mar 20
May 21 - Jun 20
Aug 24 - Sept 23
Dec. 22 - Jan 20
Mar 21 - Apr 19
Jun 21 - Jul 23
Sept 24 - Oct 23
Jan 21 - Feb 19
Apr 20 - May 20
Jul 24 - Aug 23
Oct 24 - Nov 22
15
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