Volume 09 // Issue 01
News KSA to Write New Policy on Sexual Assault
September 13 2016
Culture The Kwantlen Art Collective Unveil New Exhibit
Opinion Was Harper a Force for Good or Evil?
R
THE RUNNER
Tireless Runners Fern Gabriel educates tour-goers on the history of the Kwantlen First Nation
find us online / runnermag.ca / @runnermag / facebook.com/runnerMAG / INSTAGRAM.com/RUNNERMAG
02 Table of contents
04 06 08 13 15
staff
News | KSA to Write New Policy on Sexual Assault
“I don’t want to miss anything. I really want to make sure that it’s inclusive to everybody. This policy isn’t just for women. It’s for LGBTQ folks, it’s for men, it’s for everybody, because sexual harassment and sexual assault happens to everybody,” says Lopes.
Coordinating Editor Tristan Johnston editor@runnermag.ca
culture | Kwantlen Art Collective Goes Public with New Exhibit
Managing Editor
The Collective has been hosting an exhibition titled Private Inquiries from a Public Exposure at the Newton PopUp Gallery from Aug. 30 to Sept. 16, and to kick the exhibition off, the Art Collective held an opening night gala.
Connor Doyle managing@runnermag.ca
Production Manager
Danielle George production@runnermag.ca
Features | Walking with The Kwantlen First Nation
Art Director
Scott McLelland art@runnermag.ca
“We want to welcome you to the land,” Gabriel says as the walk begins. “I’m going to tell you that Kwantlen means, to the people, the tireless runners and tireless hunters.”
Photo Editor
Kier-Christer Junos photos@runnermag.ca @kierjunos
Opinions| Debate: Was Harper a Force for Good or Evil?
Staff Writer
Alyssa Laube staff@runnermag.ca
It should go without saying that Harper wasn’t the best Prime Minister we’ve ever had, but he definitely wasn’t the worst by any stretch of the imagination.
Web Editor
Joseph Keller web@runnermag.ca
Operations Manager
COLUMN | Artist Spotlight: Gohj-ji
Scott Boux office@runnermag.ca 778.565.3801
Navin Sahjpaul wrote his first-ever comprehensive record as Gohj-ji, You’re Not Here, through grief. The pensive, slow-plodding EP is immersive, ambient, and tinged with a bittersweet solemnity.
#BestPhoto
#FeatureTweets Sustainable KSA @SustainableKSA Coming to @KwantlenU for the first time? Make sure to put your apple core, leftover lunch & napkins in the green bin & pop cans in blue! Madeline Ewanyshyn @antmuzak Me wishing I was starting at Hogwarts today instead of #KPU in four days #kwantlen #KwantlenU #SlytherinPride #HP
KPU Students @KPUStudents @kissradio is at #KPUSurrey till 2PM today with FREE food, drinks and music! @KwantlenU @KSAcouncil
Daniella Javier @DaniellaMarie94 Shoutout to @katie_warfield for making class end today at 3 p.m. For a girl that’s got to go to work at 5 p.m., this helps so much! Katie
Arbutus 3710/3720 12666 72 Ave. Surrey, B.C, V3W 2M8 778.565.3801 www.runnermag.ca Vol. 09, Issue no.1 September 13, 2016 ISSN# 1916 8241
Contributors Calvin Borghardt Celesta De Roo Durrah Alsaif Keith Harris Kory Langlois
Kyrsten Downton Nat Mussell Nicole Kwit Tommy Nguyen Yuta Anonuevo
Cover
Kier-Christer Junos is a fourth-year journalism and economics student at KPU. He’s a two-time staff writer for The Runner, once its EIC, and his recent work includes reporting for The Abbotsford News and The Mission City Record.
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.
From The Editors
Editorial 03
We Share KPU’s Stories
What’s Happening this week
Connor Doyle| Managing Editor The Runner’s first issue in September tends to be one of the most exciting. The halls of Kwantlen Polytechnic University are once again teeming with students, and even at KPU— dogged as we are by our reputation as a commuter school—where you find students, you’ll find at least some measure of student life. Typically, this is when we take stock of things, both on campus and in the surrounding communities, and it’s often the best time to introduce changes to the paper. In this case, one of those changes is a logo. Other changes are sure to come, namely to our contributor pool. The Runner is sustained by the efforts of talented students, and every year we lose some of our best contributors to the opportunities of post-graduate life. But their work is always replaced by the efforts of new students, and we’re hoping that this year, you might just be among them. If you’re looking to get involved, working at The Runner is one of the best ways to engage with your university. You’ll find yourself talking to the most interesting and hard working people this school has to offer, and sharing their stories with your classmates. You’ll attend events both on and off campus, cover the news as it breaks, and gain skills at a rate that’ll make you dangerously employable. You might even get to know a thing or two about KPU that makes you feel proud to go to school here, if you don’t feel that way already. You’ll have a lot of fun working with us, but you’ll also serve an important purpose while you’re here. The Runner’s goal is at once to promote student culture and to help hold the powers that be at this university accountable. That might sound a little overly ambitious for a university rag, but we have some experience doing
Sept 15
Speaker Series: Water Rights and Scarcity
KPU Political Science Prof. Ross Pink will talk about the right to clean water. Find out what’s being done to help almost a billion people access what most of us take for granted. 7 pm, KPU Richmond, Free.
The Big U
Some of The Runner’s staff and contributors pose for a photo at The Runner’s Contributor Awards Night on May 12, 2016. (The Runner)
it. In 2011, the Kwantlen Student Association was embroiled in a scandal that made national headlines. Some of the councillors were getting away with things that people tend to associate with lesser Bond villains, and The Runner was there to call them on it. We showed everyone that the association was essentially defrauding the students who had elected them, and helped the student body get the information they needed to kick them out. Now, most of the time, what we do isn’t nearly so glamorous or dramatic, but day-by-day we are still serving an important function in the KPU dynamic. These days, the KSA is doing some really good, really important work—work that can have a remarkable effect on students attending KPU now and in
the future—and we want to make sure you’re informed about it. And when there’s controversy or when someone in power is getting up to no good, we’re still here to make sure people know what’s going on, and what they can do to stop it. Don’t think that this invitation only extends to students in the journalism program, either. We do have our aspiring journalists—who pursue stories for us more ardently than most students pursue their degrees— but we also have English students, Fine Arts students, Creative Writing students, Design students, and even those outside of the humanities like Business and Psychology majors. Essentially, we’re here to share KPU’s stories, and we hope to represent the spectrum of KPU identities. We want to activate
students, whether that means bringing in new writers, photographers, and artists to contribute to our paper or simply encouraging people to pick up a copy of The Runner between classes and peruse the stories that interest them. We hope that you’ll like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and if you want to be a part of what we do, we hope that you’ll message us at editor@runnermag.ca or attend one of our weekly meetings on Monday at 1 pm in our office on the third floor of the Surrey Library. So, if you feel like you want something more from your time at KPU than just a degree, The Runner is here to help with that. There’s a lot to discover at this school, and if you want to start exploring, just turn the page and begin.
KPU Hoping for Horticultural Project Partnership with Beijing University Following MOU Alyssa Laube | Staff Writer
News Briefs
Sept 16
Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s recently launched diploma program in acupuncture has led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding between KPU and the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. The hope with the memorandum is that students striving to gain a degree after graduation in B.C. will transfer to Beijing to further their education. This month, KPU President Alan Davis snapped a photo alongside Beijing University President Xu Anlong and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to celebrate the occasion. According to Davis, however, there may be more collaboration between the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Kwantlen Polytechnic University in the future. He says that he is aiming to support a program that will encourage
students from both institutions to learn about horticultural sustainability, an area of expertise that KPU has now become well known for. Although “it’s just an idea,” as worded by Davis, and the details are not yet hashed out, it could afford students the opportunity to improve their knowledge on sustainable horticulture. In China, where the air quality is notoriously polluted and emissions are more rapidly produced than anywhere else in the world, growth within the industry of sustainable horticulture could reap great benefits. Additionally, it could help those interested in natural medicine hoping to grow their own herbs with their ability as professionals. As with the relationship between KPU’s acupuncture program and BCUM’s degree in traditional Chinese medicine, Canadian students could travel to Beijing to further their education. KPU’s Institute for Sustainable Hor-
ticulture is a partnership in itself. Academia within the industry and community supports the program, which addresses not only horticulture, but also silviculture, forestry, and urban landscapes. An example of some of the work they do can be seen within a lab on the Langley campus, where microbial insect pathogens are experimented on in order to understand how to combat pest issues and increase sustainability. While it is possible that the horticultural partnership with Beijing University may not go forward, it seems that the two institutions have faith in one another. On BUCM’s website, it is written that “the Canadian province of British Columbia possessed the highest quality of education resources,” and Davis believes that BUCM is the best school to be working with in regards to traditional Chinese medicine.
This event, which is part of a joint initiative between KPU and the KSA, is all about U. Learn how to take care of yourself and talk to people who care about your wellness. 8:30 am - 4 pm, KPU Surrey Conference Room, Free.
Sept 17
Granville Island Kayak Tour
Active KSA encourages students to get out and get moving. Join them on a kayak tour around Granville Island, and don’t forget to bring a towel! 10:30 am - 12:30 pm, Granville Island, $25 for Students.
Sept 19
Kwantlen Improv Group!
This newly formed improv group will be holding weekly meetings to help students improve their improv and acting skills. Yes and… they seem really cool! 5 pm - 7 pm, KPU Surrey Cedar 2005, Free.
Sept 21
DISO DAYS: Women’s Liberation KPIRG is hosting two weeks of events as part of DisOrientation. One such event is a discussion of women’s liberation as an emancipation of capitalism and patriarchy. 1 pm - 4 pm, KPU Surrey Conference Room, Free.
Sept 24
KPU Pow Wow
KPU’s annual Pow Wow dance competition is back! One of the most exciting and dynamic events at KPU is also a great opportunity to move your body and earn some money. 12 pm, KPU Surrey Gymnasium, Free.
04 News
KSA to Write New Policy on Sexual Assault, Open On-Campus Women’s Centre
Women’s Rep and VP Student Life Natasha Lopes is creating safe spaces at KPU Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer As a survivor of sexual assault, Natasha Lopes recognizes the importance of having policy to address and prevent it, while also being able to help other survivors. As Vice President Student Life and Women’s Representative for the Kwantlen Student Association, she will soon be putting one into action. Despite the recent uproar in response to sexual violence on post-secondary campuses—and even two cases of harassment at KPU this year—the university does not have a sexual assault, abuse, and/or harassment policy currently in effect. While KPU administration is currently working on a document of its own, Lopes is drafting a unique model exclusively for the KSA. She has been working on it since May—so far only completing the research portion of the process— and will be moving onto the consultation phase shortly. At the end of September, she will be attending a conference at UBC that “will go more in-depth about consent
Lopes, who is a survivor of sexual assault, recognizes the importance of having policy to address and prevent it, while also being able to help other survivors. (Alyssa Laube)
campaigns, sexualized violence, what you should expect, and what you need to see in a policy that will really help students,” as described by Lopes. Her hope for attending the conference is to become as well-versed on policy-making specific to sexual assault as possible, along with learning more about the AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre, a notoriously successful model.
Also this month, she will be collecting feedback on the policy from Women Organizing Opportunities for Women, the school’s feminist club and women’s collective. “I’m working on a couple parts that I want the policy to touch on for the next women’s representative, the next VP student life, some things that they should consider during their term,” says Lopes, who believes that
perfecting the policy will take more time than her contract allows. “I don’t want to miss anything. I really want to make sure that it’s inclusive to everybody. This policy isn’t just for women. It’s for LGBTQ folks, it’s for men, it’s for everybody, because sexual harassment and sexual assault happens to every-
body,” she says. Lopes is intent on making sure that the policy is representative of as many demographics as possible. In order to do that, she will not only be consulting WOOW but also Pride and a variety of KPU students. This policy is only one of Lopes’ ongoing efforts as Women’s Representative and Vice President Student Life. Between the two positions, she is
also proud to say that there will soon be a women’s centre in KPU Surrey’s renovated Birch building. Inside the centre, visitors will first and foremost find a safe space, but resources and programming will also become available in time. In regards to resources, Lopes predicts that there will be a library full of material relevant to women, whether it be feminist studies and novels or other educational reads. While right now the exact plan for programming is more uncertain, she hopes to organize roundtable discussions in the new women’s centre, along with offering support for those going through personal trauma. Potentially, that support could be custom-tailored to sexual assault survivors. A consent campaign is in the works for the future as well—another project that Lopes is spearheading. “I want to do right by students as much as I possibly can, and I want to make sure that they have pride and they know that the KSA is there for them at all times, through the good, the bad, and the ugly,” she says.
KSA Pushes for “National Coming Out Day” Event Student association hopes to establish visible support for KPU’s LGBTQ+ community Kyrsten Downton| Contributor The Kwantlen Student Association is putting forward plans to encourage visible support for KPU’s LGBTQ+ community by submitting a “National Coming Out Day” event. The proposal will be brought to the constituency committee in early September for final approval. If approved, the event could take place as early as October. KSA Vice President Student Life and Women’s Rep. Natasha Lopes is excited for what this event can offer to the LGBTQ students at KPU. “It’s really just to highlight and
bring together the LGBTQ community in solidarity,” she says. Ryot Jey, the Queer representative for the KSA, says the idea originally came about when he was working with the Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group. “I thought it was just going to be a small workshop, so I figured why not, on my end, do a full event and have [KPIRG] come on to do a workshop,” he says. “But after further discussing with them, it was more a large scale kind of event.” While certain details for the event will be determined later, Jey says it will likely be between six to eight hours and will consist mostly of work-
(Scott McLelland)
shops where students can engage with each other. “Speaking from my own personal experience, it’s difficult to find other folks who are also queer and trans,” says Jey. “With this event, students will be able to meet other students who might be queer and/or trans or allies and supporters who they can hopefully create friendships with.” Jey says he has been talking to various organizations that could come to speak at the event. He wants students to communicate freely with each other during the workshops. “I’m hoping that students are able to engage in conversations about sexual well-being, about [being] trans, and a variety of things at this event,” he says. Jey hopes to create a theme of inclusion for this event and to focus on people of various racial backgrounds in the LGBTQ+ community. He hopes that this will give students a wide range of experiences to learn from. “A lot of the conferences that I have been to that are LGBTQ+ focused have been very whitewashed,” says Jey. “It’s better to learn from the people themselves than have to learn from people who don’t actually know their experiences.” On August 16, The Runner reported on the perceived lack of visible
KSA Queer Rep. Ryot “R” Jey pictured in Feb. 2016.
support for the LGBTQ+ community at KPU. Lopes hopes that this event will be a step forward in regards to changing that. “It will really have the campus stand in solidarity with the community
at such a crucial time,” she says. “We look around the world with the atrocities that are happening day to day. We need that bright sunshine and this event will be that bright sunshine.”
News 05
KPU Student Senate Representatives Announced After Delay
Kreuzkamp, McMartin, McCutchen, and Gonzales elected
Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer After a delay of several months, four brand new student senate representatives to the KPU Senate have been announced. The student representatives were elected during the springtime, with official results originally scheduled to be announced on April 11. In actuality, they were not released until late August. KPU’s chief returning officer at the time, Zena Mitchell, accredited the delay to a “potential voter irregularity,” but what that specifically entails has yet to be elaborated on. Neither Corey Van’t Haaf, the KSA’s own chief returning officer who Council decided not to rehire on Aug. 26, nor current CRO Ron Laufer replied to interview requests, and neither Kwantlen Student Association Presi-
dent Alex McGowan nor now-senate representative Kimberley McMartin could provide a reason for the late announcement when questioned. As a senior governing body, KPU’s Senate deals with “the approval of credentials, advising on the priorities of the university and the university budget, and selection of honorary degree recipients,” as described on the university’s website. That is a very brief overview of the senators’ responsibilities, with more specific duties including determining program curriculum, admission and awards qualifications, and the academic schedule, to name a few. While the four student senate representatives don’t singlehandedly dictate the decision-making, they do have a say in all matters. And because they represent the institution’s entire student body, exactly who is filling those
seats is worth carefully considering. Sonja Kreuzkamp, Kimberley McMartin, Caitlin McCutchen, and Allison Gonzales are the recently elected senators, and many of them have previous experience working at and with the university. Kreuzkamp is the events & street team coordinator with the Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group, McMartin is a former KSA students with disabilities representative and a current KPIRG board organizer, and last year Gonzales was the President of the Kwantlen Student Association. McCutchen is a Political Science student, and her role as senate representative is her first professional involvement with the university and its organizations. She was inspired to work with student politics after participating in last year’s “Get Up and Vote” campaign, and her focus area as
a senate representative is making sure that KPU improves how it accepts transfer credits. “I came to KPU and they wouldn’t accept my English credits, and I almost thought about leaving,” she says. “So I don’t want that to happen to other students.” For McMartin, the role as senate representative gives her a chance to work on transparency, advocacy, and resources for people with disabilities. She has been consistently involved with the KSA, clubs, and KPIRG over the years, and is looking forward to testing out a new position alongside McCutchen, Kreuzkamp, and Gonzalez. Unfortunately, Kreuzkamp and Gonzales did not respond to interview requests.
KPU Graduate Holds City Hall on Cannabis Small meeting in Fernie, B.C. one of many discussions on marijuana legalization Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer Last Spring, when Canadian Health Minister Jane Philpott publicly announced that federal marijuana legislation will be introduced next year, KPU graduate Sarah-Jane Nelson decided to take action. Having graduated from the university’s acclaimed Professional Management of Marijuana program, Nelson knows a fair deal about cannabis and how it is regulated, circulated, and used. With this knowledge, she approached the city council in her hometown of Fernie, BC to arrange an Aug. 22 meeting to discuss the impending legalization. The feedback from that meeting was sent to the Canadian task force—a group of of eight individuals working to “seek input on the design of a new system to legalize, strictly regulate, and restrict access to marijuana”—for revision. On their website, it is written that “their advice will be considered by the Government of Canada as the new framework is developed.” Nelson’s hope for the meeting was to build an understanding between the citizens of Fernie and the government. More specifically, she would like to abolish the stigma against marijuana use while still listening to all voices in the debate. Particularly in Fernie, she believes that the stigma is still quite prevalent today. “Speaking from my community, I feel that the stigma associated with its use is quite strong. We don’t talk about it,” she says. “We haven’t opened a dispensary here in our town, which is not necessarily a bad thing, because they are illegal.” For instance, the mining commu-
nity in Fernie can be described as very “safety-oriented,” which means that all of its employees regularly undergo drug tests to ensure that they’re sober at work. Because of that, they would not be able to use cannabis even if there were a dispensary there. Last fall, there was a group that attempted to open a dispensary there, but could not due to Fernie’s strict bylaws. Regardless, getting citizens to use cannabis is not Nelson’s objective with the city council meeting. Instead, it is “bringing awareness to the city of the cannabis movement in Canada.” On the 22nd, a group of around twelve people gathered to “focus on the task force discussion paper and answer the questions from the federal government.”
Nelson says that the two-hour meeting went very well, despite the low turnout. Of the twelve attendees, only two of them were average citizens of Fernie, which Nelson believes “maybe shows that they’re supportive of the movement going forward,” since they didn’t come as opposition. The Mayor and Council did arrive, as did two members of the public: one “cancer-cannabis patient who came to share his story,” and a teacher concerned about how to educate his students on cannabis once it is legalized. Nelson thinks that “the conversation needs to open up about the varying strains and potencies of medicinal cannabis,” and feels that that was accomplished—even to a small extent— with city council. She reinforces that she wouldn’t
have gone forward with it if it weren’t for KPU’s Professional Management of Marijuana program, which she signed up for purely out of curiosity. Her experience in nursing led Nelson to question the medical and therapeutic properties of cannabis—a curiosity she satisfied throughout her courses. “The combination of what I was learning from a professional aspect in coordination with history unfolding was really exciting and it has really sparked a genuine interest in me,” she says. “I agree with the Liberal government trying to eliminate the black market and regulating the product for the health and safety of Canadians by doing this lab testing. That’s really what I’d like to stress, from my nursing background.”
(Celesta De Roo)
New KSA Policy Allows for Dismissal of Absent Committee Members Policy will make committees more efficient, less dramatic Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer A new policy passed by the Kwantlen Student Association last month will ensure that any committee members who miss over three meetings per term can be officially asked to resign. The Chair of the committee must consult with the Vice President, the appointments committee, and Council before requesting the resignation, although it is expected that the member will step down after it is submitted. There are two primary intentions with the policy. Firstly, it will prevent all committee members who are not “contributing to the progression and development of the committee and its mandate”—as written Council’s Aug. 26 agenda—from remaining in their position. That way, they are not being rewarded for work they have not done, and someone who will actively work towards improving the committee can fill their spot. Secondly, having a policy that makes it mandatory for the Chair to report members who miss three or more meetings gets rid of the opportunity for interpersonal conflict. For instance, if a thrice-absent committee member tries to pick a fight with the Chair for reporting them and the Chair did not technically have to by regulation, it could easily seem like a personal bias towards the member. This policy therefore levels the playing field. “I think it was noticed that some student members weren’t necessarily participating a lot at meetings and the process for removing them was a little—not necessarily onerous, but potentially personal. We just wanted to keep it objective,” says KSA President Alex McGowan. He adds that a few meetings missed for a good cause may be excusable. The specific situation, honesty, and drive of the committee member will have a sway on whether or not they will be asked to resign. There were no council members in particular that McGowan believes inspired this policy. “Whenever someone signs up for something like Council, they do so with an understanding that there’s a certain amount of time commitment, and being removed from a committee isn’t the end of the world,” he says. “I don’t think there’s any barrier or issue.”
06 Culture
Kwantlen Art Collective Goes Public with New Exhibit Work by 14 KPU artists showcased at Newton PopUp gallery Joseph Keller| Web Editor The Kwantlen Art Collective is beginning the semester by showcasing some of their members’ finest work. The Collective has been hosting an exhibition titled Private Inquiries from a Public Exposure at the Newton PopUp Gallery from Aug. 30 to Sept. 16, and to kick the exhibition off, the Art Collective held an opening night gala. The Newton PopUp Gallery is a retail space located on 72 Avenue, near the Newton bus exchange. It was made available to the Art Collective by the City of Surrey as part of a program to temporarily turn unused spaces around the city into centres for the arts. “This is probably the third show we’ve been involved in, but it’s the first time we’ve had the whole gallery to ourselves to really create the whole thing and a large gallery that we can put insulation work in,” says Jude Campbell, president of the Kwantlen Art Collective. Jude’s installation, titled Monument II, is on display at the exhibition. “This is a great opportunity for us,” she says. It’s a long process to put together an exhibition like this, with preparation beginning in June. A large portion of the planning goes into collecting work from eligible artists, considering the pieces that are avail-
able, and amassing a collection that works well together. With this particular exhibition, the Collective made a point of displaying art from multiple disciplines—sculpture, painting, installation, and more—whereas in the past, the Collective has been limited to paintings due to space restrictions. According to some of the artists whose works are on display, the exhibition is meant to celebrate the tightknit arts community that has been developing at KPU in recent years. “[The KPU art community] is very supportive. I’d say there’s a good sense of community in the way that everyone kind of knows each other and supports each other,” says Kim Ateah, whose ceramic art, Produce Art is being showcased. “I came [to KPU] initially to just get my diploma, but I found that the teachers were very well educated and the classes are very small. [The KPU art community] felt like a little family almost. It’s nice,” says Keith Harris, whose painting, Before and After 1, is on display. Artists in the Collective come from a diverse range of backgrounds, which of course creates a rich supply of inspiration to draw from. Artist Durrah Alsaif created her piece, Rays of Light in the Darkness, an installation designed to address the religious persecution she has faced both in her native Saudi Arabia and here in Canada. “I’ve never spoken about this
Left: Keith Harris stands next to his painting, Before and After 1, at the KAC’s opening gala at the Newton PopUp gallery on August 30th. Right: Rays of Light in the Darkness by Durrah Alsaif. Bottom: Kim Ateah stands with her ceramic work, Produce Art. (Joseph Keller)
subject before. Even my family, they don’t know how this affected my life, so this project was kind of about knowing myself more,” says Alsaif. The Kwantlen Art Collective aims to bring together art lovers from around KPU. In addition to putting together events such as the exhibition at the PopUp Gallery, the Collective holds meetings once a week on Thursday evenings. Both KPU art students and non-art students with a love of fine arts are encouraged to attend. “A lot of people that I had classes with were in the Collective,” says artist Amy Duval, “[Joining the Collective] seemed like a good way to get involved with the community that was forming at Kwantlen and figure out ways to show our work and establish ourselves as a community.”
Slamapalooza Team Competes in Vancouver Poetry Slam Fundraising competition brings laughs, tears, and celebration for KPU team Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer It’s a dim, humid evening in Cafe Deux Soleil, and tensions are high. Situated in the heart of Vancouver’s Commercial Drive, the cozy nook is crammed with spectators and performers readying themselves to take the stage. There are four groups of poets here, packed around their tables like sardines, waiting to compete against one another for the title of best slam poetry team in the city. With that title comes a dazzling prize—a small, spinning disco ball which is clearly in high demand. Technically, though, the purpose of the night is to raise funds for two of the teams who will be travelling to Winnipeg to compete in the fall. And yet, there is no noticeable maliciousness between the competitors. Looking around, brows are sweating and nails are being bitten, but presumably only because of stage fright and inevitable cold feet. The emcee comes on stage shortly after 8:00 pm. Stage lights brighten, glasses stop clinking, and the open mic portion of the slam begins. A few pieces are read by mid-
dle-aged poets before the four teams—Vancouver Poetry Slam, Vancouver Youth Poetry Slam, Slamapalooza (the KPU/Surrey team), and Victoria Youth Poetry Slam—begin sending up members. The rules for the slam are laid out by the emcee. For each of the event’s four rounds, every team puts The Vancouver Poetry Slam, Vancouver Youth Poetry Slam, Slamapalooza, and Victoria Youth forward one poem. Poetry Slam convene on stage at Cafe Deux Soleil in Vancouver, B.C. to hear the evening’s They are individualplacings on Aug. 22, 2016. (Alyssa Laube) ly judged by volunteers in the audience who hold score- members to tears. and the surrounding areas.” boards, and whichever team comes Following Pileggi’s performance Near the end of the night, out with the most points wins. Slamapalooza team member Julia Pi- is more serious material covering Once the ball gets rolling, the poleggi sings about the pet peeves that the subjects of mental illness, genetic content ranges from uproariously irk her as a waitress, adding that com- der identity, and body image. Every comedic to deeply existential. One poem scores above a 6.0—although peting in the slam “feels great.” performer speaks from the perspecmany fall around the range of 8.0 to “This is so fun and everyone is so tive of Pluto, the pissed-off planet demoted to dwarf status, addressing the supportive,” she says. “I’m just happy 9.0—and after each score is revealed, scientists who stripped it of its title. In that we have the opportunity to go to the emcee reminds the audience to contrast, a few others talk about rape Winnipeg and this helps us do that, so “applaud the poetry, not the points.” In the end, the Vancouver Youth culture, insecurity, and toxic relation- I’m happy to come and check out the ships, nearly moving some audience poetry that’s been all around the city Poetry Slam comes out on top. In
close second is Slamapalooza, followed by Vancouver Poetry Slam and Victoria Youth Poetry Slam. Slam Master Jillian Christmas, who is in charge of organizing slams and taking care of Vancouver’s community, stands outside of the cafe to chat with friends. She personally mentored many poets that performed—regardless of which team they belonged to—and was thrilled to see their hard work brought to life all in one place. “I love that [tonight] brought together four different teams that rise up out of different communities, and you can really hear the distinct voices of each of those communities,” she says. “There was a lot of variety in this slam.” This October, Slamapalooza will be going to Winnipeg to compete in a national slam poetry competition, and team coach Simon Massey is hoping for the best with the experience. “I just want them to be able to bring the pieces that they really love to the stage and share them with a full Canadian audience. That’s going to be reward enough,” he says. “It’s mostly about the poets getting to have a really awesome time.”
Walking With The Kw The band’s history, walking tours in
The History At this point in Canadian history, it’s well-known that the Europeans weren’t the first to touch ground here. In many areas of the Fraser Valley, the Kwantlen First Nation—after which our institution is named, with permission from the late Grand Chief Joe Gabriel—came before the white settlers, and their territory was vast, natural, and beautiful. Fortunately, much of it still is today. On the band’s official website, it is written that they “live by the seven traditional laws that guided [their] ancestors: health, happiness, generations, generosity, humbleness, forgiveness, and understanding.” Significant importance is placed on family, tradition, culture, and land. Their native language, Halkomelem, continues to be spoken by the 200-300 Kwantlen First Nation members that are registered in Canada. Before Europeans arrived in the 1800s, the Kwantlen were settled in many now-urban areas such as New Westminster, Surrey, Mission, and Langley. Once, they controlled over half of the Mainland’s Halkomelem land. They moved up to Fort Langley when colonialists arrived, where walking tours funded by Port Metro Vancouver are now held to educate anyone who is interested in learning about their past and present.
The Tour Raindrops bounce off of the Fraser River on a cloudy evening in Fort Langley. On the water, rowers float by in the current, slow and silent under the heavy shower. Behind them lies only lush, emerald forest and silver sky. Before them is a small wooden landing, where over twenty people are gathered to witness the beginning of the Kwantlen First Nation walking tour. The tours have only been running for three years, but in that short time they have already had a great impact. For members of the Kwantlen First Nation, they are an opportunity to share and preserve their extensive culture and history. For many of those who go on the tours, they are a chance to learn, enjoy nature, and interact with the local community. Led by Kwantlen First Nation members Fern Gabriel, Lisa Thomas, and Elinor Atkins, the walk will span one kilometre down the road, past the river, and through two points of interest, where Gabriel will tell the group about the Kwantlen land and people. After each speech, Thomas steps forward to sing a traditional song relevant to Gabriel’s subject, her voice strong, heavy with emotion, and often joined by the other two guides’. “We want to welcome you to the land,” Gabriel says as the walk begins. “I’m going to tell you that Kwantlen means, to the people, the tireless runners and tireless hunters, and I thank you all for still standing here. The rain is plenty and it’s good for you!” She continues, “Being here tonight is a prayer, and it’s really powerful that you came.” Gabriel speaks of a time when news was spread by word of mouth and when the river was protected from raiders with aggression. Back then, the river was so full of life that “you could walk on the backs of the salmon.” Meanwhile, she directs the crowd across the Jacob Haldi Bridge, to the first point of interest. On the dark pavement, Thomas walks over the slippery bridge, grinning as she explains that she has been singing for as long as she can remember. Inspired by the women in
The three Kwantlen First Nation tour guides—Fern Gabriel (right, in pi Atkins—stand on a wooden landing in the rain to commence the
her family to share her gift, Thomas has been accompanying Gabriel on the tours for two years. “I grew up with it all my life. I’m a strong believer in our culture and the traditions of our people,” she says as we arrive at two waterproof plaques decorated with diagrams of salmon. The first story told is about how the fish came to Kwantlen waters. Three brothers battle with the sun—or Seaquam—to bring the salmon to their shores, but not without a difficulty. Thomas sings “The Salmon Song” before we move onto our second point, a sign that reads “Welcome to Kwantlen” standing tall before the group. Gabriel expresses lament for the lack of a snow-topped peak on Mount Baker, or Kulshan, which would be within eyeshot if it weren’t for the clouds. Then she discusses the naming and changing of the land and preservation of the flora and fauna on it, before moving onto a lecture on eulachon, a type of smelt found here. Gabriel laughs as she reflects on a childhood memory. “I would put eulachon in my shirt, and at the end of the day I’d bring them home and my mom would fry them all up,” she says. We learn the past of the eulachon and the people who transformed into them long ago. Eggs found inside one of them, she explains, promise prosperity “in all aspects of your life,” and the fish were once “a hot commodity” known for their high trading value. Suddenly, Gabriel becomes stern. Her brow furrows. “We are still caring for the land,” she remarks. “The Soho is a species at risk. Now the Sockeye is a species at risk—something I thought I would never see in my life. The spring salmon, the eulachon, again, another species at risk. We need to come together and pray, maybe. I don’t know what the answer is at this point, but we need to care for the land.” The mood is briefly solemn, but soon it lightens. Gabriel introduces a love story to conclude the tour. Every member of the party is soaked to the bone, but listening contentedly through shivers. Thomas sings the final song of the evening, with a par-
tially English refrain: “You are the only one to fly Fly, eagle, fly, soar through the sky.” “It is believed that it takes your prayers unde and brings it to a higher power. It can fly from phy to spirit world and back again,” says Gabriel. “Th tions believe in animism, which is a commonality b our people that all animals have a meaning.” The dog represents loyalty and reminds us to b happy, she says. A small pup perks its head out fro sack on her back, eyes blinking sleepily. There is a brief question period before the gro es. Some walk back to their cars holding hands, pe dren, shielding their faces from the rain and wind dark on the river, and the shadows of the trees fa the black night. From the trail, illuminated in dim Gabriel waves goodbye with Thomas and Atkins a
The Next Even
Those looking to learn more about the Kwant tion can attend We Are at Kwantlen, DISO event that will utilize “riveting storytelling … the process of decolonization and to raise cons the sovereignty of the Unceded Coast Salish pe territories we reside on,” as written on the even page. KPU Elder in Residence, Lekeyten, and K Nation member Brandon Gabriel will speak Kwantlen, held on Sept. 13 from 4:00pm to 7:0 Surrey’s Aboriginal Gathering Place. “It’s important that [KPU students] know very strong piece of land that once belonged t tlen First Nation people. I hope that it betters th puts them on a pathway where the doors are op ing,” says Lekeyten. “It’s going to be one of th you just don’t forget, and I’m so glad that the pe this forward have a vision.”
wantlen First Nation Fort Langley, and upcoming events
Lisa Thomas stands beside a sign that reads “Welcome to Kwantlen” before singing a traditional song to a tour group on Sept. 1, 2016. (Alyssa Laube)
ink), Lisa Thomas (centre, maroon), and Elinor e walking tour on Sept. 1, 2016. (Alyssa Laube)
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Fern Gabriel speaks to a walking tour group on Sept. 1, 2016. She tells the love story of the sturgeon people, where two lovers jumped into the river and transformed into fish. (Alyssa Laube)
Kwantlen First at We Are at 00pm at KPU
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The sign for the Kwantlen First Nation walking tour and Lelam Arts and Culture Cafe in Fort Langley, where groups meet their tour guides. (Alyssa Laube)
12 Opinions
Runner Run-Down: KSA Committees
What are they and what do they do? Joseph Keller| Web Editor For many newcomers to KPU—and probably more than a few people who have been here for a while—the Kwantlen Student Association can seem complex and difficult to understand. The KSA can essentially be broken down into three parts: the executive team, the council, and the various specialized committees. Executive and Council are made up of elected officials representing the student body, but the committees are a collaboration between the officials and average students. These committees help determine how student fees are spent. “All the committees make recommendations to council,” explains KSA President and Vice President External Alex McGowan. Although they make recommendations, the committees themselves don’t have spending authority to fund taking action, with the sole exception of the Executive Committee. Information about the various KSA committees is available on the KSA webpage, but as McGowan admits, it’s not currently up to date with the KSA’s standards. The KSA is currently in the process of getting that information updated.
Until then, here’s a quick guide to the various KSA committees. The Standing Committee on Finance and Operations is responsible for the internal workings of the KSA and management of their financial resources. They are also in charge of looking at new potential student services, awards, and budget amendments. The Standing Committee on Appointments considers applications for other committees and positions within the KSA. They’re responsible for putting people where they can do the most good for KPU students. The Standing Committee on Student Life deals with student events and clubs. It is largely made up of various student club leaders and serves the purpose of getting KPU students engaged with their university community. The Standing Committee on University Affairs—formerly the Student Services Committee—interprets and makes recommendations to Council based on student feedback about recent university goings-on. The University Affairs committee’s role is currently being overhauled and is likely to evolve over time. The Standing Committee on Governance ensures that KSA regulations, bylaws, and internal policies are up to date. There is a constant
(Alyssa Laube) (Keith Harris)
stream of updates to be deliberated on, so this committee is always busy. The Standing Committee on External Affairs determines the direction of the KSA by deciding what the council should be advocating for. Recently, the External Affairs committee made the decision to push for the construction of student housing at KPU. The Standing Committee on Environmental Sustainability is in charge of keeping KPU green. This Committee oversees all student-led environmental initiatives at KPU.
The Special Committee for Constituencies is the KSA’s social justice committee. Representatives for traditionally marginalised groups—students of colour, queer students, female students, etcetera—meet here to make sure that their voices are heard. Students who want to be part of the the decision-making process at KPU are encouraged to get involved with KSA committees. Each of these committees include appointed, student-at-large members who are selected for year-long terms as vacancies become available. Just submit
a resume and cover letter to John Shkurtaj, the chairperson of the appointments committee, at business. rep4@kusa.ca. These committees are all open to the public, so any student can drop by and participate in the discussions. “Committees are the best starting point for students to get involved with the KSA,” says McGowan. “If they want to get involved in any sort of non-profit, corporation, or government down the line, it’s really great experience to have.”
ISIS or Daesh Does it Matter What We Call Them? An enemy by any other name Joseph Keller| Web Editor There has been a change in the official language used by Justin Trudeau’s Liberals lately. Anyone who’s been paying attention to the speeches of Trudeau and his ministers may have noticed that the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant has not been referred to by that name or any other variation of such. Instead, Trudeau and those under him have been referring to this particular apocalyptic death cult by the name “Daesh.” The Trudeau government is joining a growing list of government officials and media figures worldwide to switch to the alternate label. Some have greeted the news with indifference or even a roll of the eyes. One online comment likened the Fed’s simple shift in terminology to the French flag filter that spread across Facebook after the Paris attacks—an ultimately meaningless gesture. It’s not hard to understand the eye rolling. Trudeau’s decision to switch up the terminology is a very safe one. By saying “Daesh” rather than “ISIS,” Trudeau gets to look like he’s taking some kind of hard stance every time he refers to the group without actually making any real changes. It’s easy see why, to some, the shift is nothing more than calculated political optics. It’s also safe for me as a student
journalist to use whatever name I please to describe a group of dangerous people from far away, like a child teasing a gorilla from the outside of a sturdy cage. So, what’s in a name? Does it really matter what we call them? The reasoning Liberals give for the name change centres around the inaccuracy of the term “state.” Chantal Gagnon, press secretary to the Foreign Affairs Office, told the Huffington Post, “ISIL is no state and never will be.” Motivated by political optics or not, Trudeau and company may have a point. First off, the title of “Islamic State” is technically inaccurate. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia
Daesh
of Philosophy, there are several requirements that need to be fulfilled in order to meet the definition of a sovereign state. A state must have it’s own defined territory under its control, a population, independence from other states, and the recognition of national and international institutions. ISIS does, in fact, control a significant territory within Iraq and Syria and unfortunately has a large population of people under their control. However, while they do have authority within their territory, they don’t have the ability to enter into agreements with legitimate states, meaning they don’t fully satisfy the requirement for independence. They are also not recognized as a state by any legitimate state or international
(Durrah Alsaif)
institution. As far as journalists are concerned, we may not be able to refer to them as the “Islamic State” purely for the sake of accuracy. Furthermore, referring to them as ISIS plays into their own branding efforts. Strange as it may sound, in an ideological war such as the one being fought, branding plays a key role. This is an organisation that is attempting to claim supreme authority over the entire Islamic world. They need a well-managed image in order to do that. In however small a way, such branding is specifically designed to appeal to their target audience—people prone to being radicalised, mainly disenfranchised Islamic youth—and there’s no reason for Western media
or legitimate states such as Canada to contribute to that. So why use this “Daesh” name in particular? The word Daesh is actually just an Arabic acronym for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Taken literally, it’s not that different from referring to them as ISIS. What makes this acronym interesting, however, is its similarity in pronunciation to the Arabic word that means “sowers of discord.” Sowing discord is considered a fundamental sin in Islamic doctrine. The term is so offensive to a group that wants to speak for all of Islam that they have vowed to cut out the tongues of anyone who uses it— which is what makes it so commendable that the term has been adopted by Daesh-rejecting people across the Middle East. As easy as it is for Western politicians and journalists to call the group whatever we want from the safety of our offices in first world countries without fear of retaliation, for the people within their reach, using the word Daesh can be a dangerous political act. So does it matter what we here in the West call them? Maybe a little. It’s true that the group is going to keep fighting with the fury of true fanatics whether we call them ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh. If it truly makes no real difference how I chose to refer to these particular terrorists in my own writing, I’ll go with the name that the bastards hate over the one they chose.
The Runner Debates:
Opinions 13
Was Harper a Force for Good or Evil? Why Harper’s dropout of politics is cause for celebration
Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer During the last federal election, I spent weeks pondering who to give my vote to. My heart was screaming Liberal, but my mind was urging NDP, and my soul was begging to see the Greens pull out a miraculous victory. It took ages of thinking and researching to side with the New Democratic Party, and even then, Trudeau’s win came as a thrill. The only party that I knew I conclusively did not want representing this country—the only one whose leader I could not bring myself to like with a single fibre of my being—was the Conservatives, and I wasn’t the only millennial to feel that way. Nearly all of my friends were voting strictly to get Harper out of power and away from big red buttons. Most of the anti-Harper sentiment focused on environmental or social justice issues—two areas that he vehemently ignored throughout his ten-year reign—which are now particularly important to young Canadians. As a member of that demographic, looking out for minorities and working against global warming have always been two of the top jobs I want my Prime Minister to be doing, but we all knew that there was a slim chance of that with Harper. After all, he didn’t work for us. He worked for our parents, and they didn’t want their Prime Minister messing around with fluff like the Missing Women’s Inquiry and not killing everything in the ocean. Like many Conservatives, Harper was obsessed with the economy. Running a deficit would be the end of the world. Diseasing the planet
for money is a sacrifice we must be willing to make. Stealing land from aboriginal Canadians is just how we got our resources, and we can’t afford to give them back. Tough luck. Now, it would be naive to say that the economy doesn’t matter. It is a basic building block of our society. Poverty often leads to social injustice and imbalance, and a healthy economy is intended to neutralize that.
The truth, however, is that there is more to a prosperous nation than how fat its pockets are. That was something Harper failed to recognize time and time again. During his days in office, the government massively overspent on ad campaigns, fighter jets, senator compensation, and more. They suspiciously rescheduled events that could have threatened their control, got
called out on torture controversies in Afghanistan, dodged questions from reporters, enacted the horrific Bills C-24 and C-51, and completely ignored the Kyoto Protocol. In fact, they pretty much did everything it advised them to avoid. They also suppressed and swerved around almost all activists— especially those fighting against pipeline projects—and even screwed
(Nicole Kwit)
over David Suzuki by trying to force charities into political inaction. The Conservatives muted their own scientists by making up rules preventing them from talking to journalists. They invited oil companies to design environmental legislation. The PM pretended to be a changed man after visiting the melting ice caps, and then kept pumping Canadian money into fracking. It didn’t come as a surprise when we blew past our emissions limit in 2013, or when we came in last place globally as protectors of the environment. That same year, the Harper government spent millions on the tar sands. Then, a year later, they cut the budget for climate change research. All in the name of the economy. Amen. Right before Trudeau kicked him out, Harper’s government made a fuss about refugees and whether women should be able to wear niqabs during citizenship ceremonies. For their platform, they talked about expanding the military, banning Canadians from travelling to certain areas, and how to give retired seniors more money. As a testament to his maturity, he also organized a fake protest against Trudeau. Now, months after stepping down as Prime Minister, he’s resigning as an MP to work as a consultant. I can’t say I’m heartbroken. On top of being cancerous to Earth’s life and completely lacking transparency, he has the personality of a soggy plank of wood. So good riddance, Harper, and enjoy watching future generations frantically struggle to clean up your mess from the comfort of your Calgary mansion.
Hopefully the last time I’ll have to defend Harper
Tristan Johnston | Coordinating Editor While I certainly didn’t vote for the Conservatives in 2015, I certainly don’t think Harper is as bad as everyone says he was. It should go without saying that Harper wasn’t the best Prime Minister we’ve ever had, but he definitely wasn’t the worst by any stretch of the imagination. When you look to other Western democracies, Harper was easily one of the most cerebral, intelligent politicians around, though he was also one of the most unlikely. While Justin Trudeau is a clear extrovert, Harper came off as a man who dreaded the campaign season and simply wanted to get back to Ottawa to do his job. This difference was especially visible after the election, with Trudeau taking selfies in the Montreal subway, while Harper didn’t announce his resignation as Conservative leader
in public, and generally stayed away from the media. I still rank environment, social issues, and the economy as my highest ranks of importance when it comes to government, but there are some less exciting things that Harper’s Conservatives did over the last year. As the federal government, they got out of the way of the provinces and gave them greater freedom, though this is obviously a problem if you’re a federalist. He also laid the groundwork that ensures that the Conservatives stay united in their defeat, and pragmatic in their rebuilding as a party. Unless you’re over 30 years old, you might not know that right-wing parties in Canada once had a tendency of falling apart after failed elections. This is important, because while the Liberal party has existed for almost 150 years, every other party has come and gone. The NDP was founded in 1961 and has never held
government. If there’s a conservative political party that’s unlikely to splinter, it’s the one that Harper created. The Harper-led Conservative party struck me as riding the ideological line between the former Progressive Conservatives and former Alliance. They would keep taxes low, but they certainly won’t touch abortion or gay marriage. Stuff like this is why I was always bothered by people who would conflate them with the American right-wing. While the Conservatives didn’t do a great job with climate change, you didn’t hear any ministers denying its existence. Generally speaking, the Conservatives were the party you voted for if you put a high value on good economic stewardship, and the numbers would certainly suggest that they accomplished that. Under their leadership, Canada was performing the best out of all G7 countries during the 2008 credit crunch, losing the lowest
amount of jobs—proportional to population—and having no bank failures. However, I would concede that some aspects of our excellent banking can be attributed to the Chrétien Bank Act of 1993 rather than Harper’s decision-making. Canada also had the lowest debtto-GDP ratio among G7 countries during the same period. This is crucial because it implied the lowest amount of risk to foreign investors, which meant more money coming into the country. Many people also forget about the political climate that led to the Conservatives’ power in the first place. 1993 to 2006 saw 13 years of consistent Liberal governance, mostly under Chretien. This long reign came to a halt with the sponsorship scandal, which rendered the Liberal government at the time to be completely untrustworthy. While Harper had the Duffy trial, Liberal MP Ralph
Goodale was being investigated by the RCMP for insider trading related to an income trusts announcement. Harper did a good job of characterizing the Liberals as Ontario and Quebec centric and ignoring the will of the Western provinces, which were frequently getting less attention at the time. I also have a feeling that some might have forgotten how pathetic Michael Ignatieff looked standing next to Stephen Harper during the debates, which surely turned off the large swath of swing voters consistent in Canada’s body politic. Regardless, while Harper should be remembered for putting a half-hearted effort into climate change and social issues, he ought to also be remembered as cerebral and Machiavellian. Well, as Machiavellian as a Canadian politician can be.
14 Opinions
B.C.’s New Climate Plan Misses the Point A simple, economic-based plan should be considered instead Calvin Borghardt| Contributor On Aug. 19, the B.C. Liberals unveiled their multi-faceted, overly complex plan to address climate change. The plan fails to acknowledge that profitability is the guiding force behind investment and production, and that there must be an economic incentive to make investment decisions that would help avert climate catastrophe. In considering this, I think a simple, two-part solution is best. Despite the promise Premier Christy Clark made in the B.C. Liberals’ 2013 re-election campaign to cap the province’s carbon tax at $30 per tonne each year, her government must unfreeze the tax. Her government has said it will not increase the tax until the federal government reveals its carbon-pricing framework and the other provinces match B.C’s tax level of $30 per tonne of carbon. The carbon tax is revenue-neutral—meaning that every dollar generated is returned to B.C. taxpayers in the form of tax reductions—and has been proven effective in reducing emissions. Statistics Canada shows
B.C. Premier Christy Clark pictured in 2014. Her provincial government’s new climate change plan announced Aug. 19, 2016 aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. (The Province of B.C./Flickr)
that, since B.C. introduced the carbon tax, fuel consumption in the province has dropped by 16 per cent, while rising by 3 per cent in the rest of Canada. Overall, it provides an impetus against the fossil fuel industry without favoring any one way of reducing emissions. Unfortunately, even if the tax is
allowed to increase as planned, relying solely on a carbon tax will not decrease emissions to our desired levels. As evidence suggests, B.C. will not meet its 2020 target of reducing emissions by one-third. The other part of the plan is a Canada-wide cap-and-trade system, which would see the federal govern-
ment put a firm limit on the overall level of carbon pollution from the industry. That cap would be reduced every year to reach a set pollution target. As it decreases, the total greenhouse gas emissions would be cut to the limit set by federal regulations, forcing polluters that exceed their emissions
to buy unused quota from other companies. These quotas would be created by the federal government and distributed by the provincial governments through an auction process in each province. A cap-and-trade system would ensure that Canada’s total pollution decreases while providing businesses with economic incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support clean energy. Once carbon emissions are capped and the cost of carbon is determined, then it must be taxed. The combination of these two systems would result in a carbon market, which could determine the cost of carbon by trading carbon offsets. This tax-system combination is the most effective way to combat climate change, based on the available research. Both of these measures have proven results where governments have implemented them. If the issue of climate change is indeed as urgent as many environmentalists have claimed it to be, then it’s in everyone’s best interest to use a proven solution and then improve on it, rather than continuing to delay in hopes of a better solution.
Is Vancouver Even All That Liveable?
Despite high standing in The Economist’s liveability index, Vancouver tends to price out most student residents Kory Langlois Vancouver, the city of mountains, ocean, and clean air, has received the title of the world’s third most liveable city for the fifth year in a row. Last month, The Economist released its annual ranking of the world’s top cities based on liveability, and found that Melbourne reigned supreme, followed by Vienna and Vancouver. The report uses five components to determine the winners— stability, healthcare, environment, education, and infrastructure. Vancouver received top marks for healthcare, culture and environment, and education, though we lost five points for stability and seven points for infrastructure. Despite The Economist’s findings, the idea of Vancouver being a livable city is a hotly debated topic for university students. Some think that calling the city “livable” at all is laughable when certain basic amenities in Vancouver cost more than a student can afford. A house in the city will cost over a million dollars, car insurance continues to increase, pay parking is ubiquitous, and electricity costs are through the roof. When these expenses collect together, it is a nearly
impossible financial burden for a new graduate student to find their place in Vancouver. This begs the question—what will be the impact to Vancouver when it forces people, some of whom have lived their entire lives in the city, to move elsewhere? Student residents bring initiatives and activities to our city. They help develop the cultural milieu of Vancouver. Many college students are engaged in internships and/or work here. If these students and graduates are forced to leave the city they helped create, Vancouver will lose a sense of self and see a decrease in community engagements. Not everyone agrees with this assessment, however. Some argue that Vancouver, despite its reputation, is a perfectly liveable city—one simply has to live in moderation. These people bring up the idea of community housing, living in suburbs, car sharing programs, and using transit as a means of decreasing the cost of living. With this approach, the persona of Vancouver could remain intact, as long as Vancouver continues to improve. If thousands of people are commuting into the city, then out of necessity, the city must run programs to support this increase in population. Examples include an increase in public transit, public events, and public
amenities. This will increase our score in the sectors that The Economist measures for livability, and Vancouver can welcome a more diverse population that helps cultivate a vibrant city. As a new generation moves into adulthood, our way of thinking on how to live must change. Our expectations cannot be too high. If our expectations are low, we can live a more fulfilled life. Although Vancouver may be a top city for students moving into careers, it may become a city that people visit and commute to, while family life is enjoyed in smaller municipalities outside city limits, such as Langley. These people can still enjoy the perks of the city, with a more manageable asset-to-liability ratio, in a smaller town.
(Nat Mussell)
columns 15
Going Global
The relationship between the House of Saud and the U.S. is an awkward one Tristan Johnston | Coordinating Editor “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” is the battle thesis of modern statecraft, and one often applied to the relationship between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. No great power gets away with a clean conscience, and that can be seen when the U.S. will, on one hand, completely condemn and act against the brutality of ISIS, but on the other hand, sit quietly while the Saudi army is marching on Sana’a. August saw intense fighting in Yemen, as fighting continued between Saudi-backed Hadi forces and Iran-backed Saleh forces. The U.S. is behind Saudi Arabia, despite numerous human rights abuses and the bombing of MSF hospitals. If you didn’t like the $15 billion arms deal that Ottawa signed last year, then you’ll be displeased to know that the U.S. has signed over $100 billion of such arms deals with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia over the last 15 years, as well as provided plenty of military support. In the case of the Yemeni Civil War, President Obama signed off on providing refueling for coalition bombers, intelligence, and targeting assistance. Why does America, and to a certain extent Canada, support obvious abusers of human rights? The Americans surely seek balance with the Saudi’s over the recent signing of the
(Yuta Anonuevo)
Iran nuclear deal, which exchanges Iran’s rescinding of nuclear energy (and suspected nuclear weapons) in exchange for the removal of EU and U.S. nuclear-related economic sanctions. This of course makes Iran a little stronger by being able to expand its economy. It might be possible to argue that the U.S., like much of the West, sim-
ply wants to maintain the status quo, or at the very least, a balance of power between these countries. Saudi Arabia would obviously prefer to have the upper hand, but Iran has been hard at work trying to gain more influence in the Middle East. One of the big problems for the Kingdom is the fact that Iran will now be able to sell more oil around the world
as a result of the nuclear deal, reducing the value of their own stockpiles. Furthermore, Iran is taking other direct steps to increase their influence. This takes the form of increased aid—typically in the form of military assistance—to allied factions and governments. For instance, the Iranian government provides assistance to the pro-Assad Syrian government
forces. While Syria is a Sunni majority state, it’s the Shi’a minority who have typically held power. Other recipients of aid would include Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas in Israel/ Palestine on occasion. Saudi Arabia takes similar steps by funding, supporting, and fighting alongside groups opposite to the ones funded by Iran, such as the Yemeni government forces, and anti-government groups in Syria. Saudi Arabia also spends billions of dollars promoting their country’s brand of Islam around the world: Wahhabism. In fact, a diplomatic cable obtained by Wikileaks in 2009 found Hillary Clinton saying that “donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide.” A lot of people read about the Middle East and come to the conclusion that it’s as simple as “the Sunni and Shi’a hate each other,” but it’s much more complicated than that. There are a lot of other stakeholders at play, such as the Kurds who are persecuted by seemingly everyone, and ISIS to whom no one wants to admit support. More importantly is Turkey, Israel and the U.S. who are also getting involved in other indirect ways, doing their best to shape a Middle East that does the most for them.
Artist Spotlight: Gohj-ji Navin Sahjpaul’s music through loss, healing, and premonition Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer Music as an outlet is peacefully cathartic—an opportunity for boundless expression in a uniquely personal way. Due to those purifying qualities, the most heartfelt records are often written by those going through a tough time. For Vancouver solo act Gohj-ji, faced with the loss of his mother in his teenage years, that was exactly the case. Navin Sahjpaul wrote his first-ever comprehensive record as Gohj-ji, You’re Not Here, through grief. The pensive, slow-plodding EP is immersive, ambient, and tinged with a bittersweet solemnity. It’s clear as a listener that You’re Not Here is an ode to something lost, but certainly not forgotten; voice clips from Sahjpaul’s mother can be found sprinkled throughout its five tracks and the mood of longing is consistent—almost overwhelming—from start to finish. “It was definitely a release. I don’t know in what way yet. I don’t know if it was more for myself or letting the
world know what kind of person she was, but it was definitely a release,” he says, about You’re Not Here. The remaining two Gohj-ji records were not nearly as heavy or thematic. After his first EP came Me Drowning, followed by this August’s Summer Romance. While the former is stylistically similar to You’re Not Here, the latter is melodic, jubilant, and sunny. It welcomes a departure from his previous collections, edging away from ambiance and closer to indie rock with the inclusion of drums, bass, and hooky vocal melodies. “I think people just saw me as someone who made ambient music, but I’m heavily inspired by multiple genres and I wanted to make it clear,” says Sahjpaul. “It was me telling people, ‘Hey, I also do this.’” Conceptually, the theme of Summer Romance is as amorous as it sounds. Sahjpaul describes its central focus as “a love that’s too daydreamy to be true,” since it revolves around a girl he has yet to meet, one he “came up with” before writing a record he refers to as his “call out for love.” The EP’s shift in songwriting ar-
Navin Sahjpaul, whose artist name is Gohj-ji, plays the public piano on Spyglass dock, in Vancouver B,C, on Aug. 24, 2016. (Alyssa Laube)
rived in tandem with a change in the artist’s social life. While venturing out of the comforts of his room, Sahjpaul fell into the local music scene and found fresh inspiration. Meeting new people and hearing new music got him looking forward to writing and performing for a live audi-
ence—a concept previously foreign to him. Gohj-ji is currently collaborating and hoping to play live with members of the local music community. He’s also working on putting together a music video for a to-be-determined track featuring images of Vancouver.
In Sahjpaul’s own words, his goal for the future is to grow as a musician and “get people dancing,” but for now, his material can be found solely on the world wide web.