The Runner Volume 10, Issue 13

MARCH 27, 2018 VOLUME 10, ISSUE 13 KPU’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

Exploring KPU's Craft Renaissance

A variety of "old school" programs are giving students a new way to experience hands-on learning

NEWS

KPU Institute Finds that B.C Farmland is Being Wasted

CULTURE page 4

Former Poet Laureate Speaks for Day to Eliminate Racism

OPINION page 7

Which Off-Menu Items to Order at the Grassroots

page 12

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

STAFF 04

NEWS | KPU Institute Finds that B.C Farmland is Being Wasted

According to research from the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems, only about half of ... [the province's agricultural] land is being properly utilized and, as a result, British Columbia’s food self-sufficiency is hurting.

Coordinating Editor

Aly Laube editor@runnermag.ca

Managing Editor

Connor Doyle managing@runnermag.ca

Production Manager

Melanie Tan production@runnermag.ca

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CULTURE | Former Poet Laureate Speaks at KPU’s Day to Eliminate Racism

As the seventh poet laureate of Canada, and as an Afro-Métis man, George Elliot Clarke has a unique perspective on the country he lives in. In government, policy, and society at large, Clarke sees not only systemic racism and sexism, but also a path forward for creating a more inclusive and genuinely multicultural Canada.

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FEATURE | Exploring Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Craft Renaissance

Kwantlen Polytechnic University offers a wide range of specialized programs, from brewing to beekeeping, and in many cases it’s the only university in the Lower Mainland—or even the country—to do so.

Art Director

Nicola Kwit art@runnermag.ca

Photo Editor

Braden Klassen photos@runnermag.ca

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OPINIONS | Which Off-Menu Items to Order at the Grassroots

You may have to dish out a few more dollars in order to try some of these items, but it’ll be worth it. At this point, you’ve already given KPU most of your money for tuition and books. What’s the big deal if you treat your taste buds to something mouth-watering?

Staff Writer

Joseph Keller staff@runnermag.ca

Hashtag KPU Web Editor

Post on Twitter or Instagram about or around KPU and you could be featured!

Mel Pomerleau web@runnermag.ca

Community Reporter

Ashley Hyshka community@runnermag.ca

Operations Manager Scott Boux office@runnermag.ca 778-565-3801

CONTRIBUTORS Epifania Alarcón Mia Davison Daniella Javier Tristan Johnston Nat Mussell @RESLUS

COVER BY Nicola Kwit

Arbutus 3710/3720 12666 72 Ave. Surrey, B.C, V3W 2M8 778-565-3801 www.runnermag.ca Vol. 10, Issue no. 13 March 27 // 2018 ISSN# 1916 8241

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

Consider the unintended consequences of banning ivory

(Nicola Kwit)

Aly Laube | Coordinating Editor At a recent conference of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Canada was one of a measly four countries to oppose the notion of banning domestic ivory trading.

With the particular type of ivory left unspecified in the motion, Canada had cause to be concerned about harming the national Inuit narwhal and walrus ivory trade. Only Japan, Namibia, and South Africa joined them in opposing the ban.

Canada is still facing the backlash of taking this stance. While it’s reasonable to be upset about the government not only condoning but profiting from an industry based on cruelty, Canadians should also consider the collateral damage that could follow the enactment of a ban based firmly in the economy.

China recently enacted a full ban on the ivory trade, and the U.K. is expected to make an announcement soon on a comprehensive ivory ban of its own. African countries, which are the primary site of elephant poaching

along with parts of Asia, have also united to push against reaping mass economic benefits from ivory. In opposition to the ban, Canada stands nearly alone.

Over 135,000 people have signed a petition from local animal rights group Elephanatics that calls for Canada to ban all domestic trade, import, export, and re-export of elephant ivory. Although Tessa Vanderkop, the director of strategic relations and advocacy for the organization, says that the original goal for the petition was to reach 1,000 signatures, it eventually gathered over one hundred thousand supporting members rallying to put an end to the practice on Change.org.

Many people who live here would reasonably assume that, in a pat-on-the-back progressive country like Canada, our government would have already divested entirely from the ivory trade. But that’s only half-true— currently, Canada’s elephant ivory ban only applies to animals that have been killed since 1990. Unfortunately, new ivory is hard to separate from old in large shipments.

Due to this oversight, Canada is still deeply invested into an industry that ends the lives of over 20,000 elephants per year.

The call to divest has been accompanied, in small scale, by the voices of concerned economists.

Historically, the sometimes-uninformed decisions of white activists have left scars on other continents. According to a 2016 article, banning or divesting in African trophy hunting could not only damage the economy, but also the ecological diversity in the area. A piece written by The New York Times in 2015 detailed how a hunting ban in Botswana led to more animal attacks on citizens and a steep drop in the money going to poor villages and towns.

Like the Canadian representatives who turned down the ivory ban in fear of hurting Inuit communities, some are concerned about the dollar drain that will ensue if the world divests in ivory.

In areas where elephants bring in tourists, stopping poaching would be economically beneficial. According to news website Business Insider, killing elephants leaves Africa with $25 million less per year because it keeps wealthy tourists away. It’s the locations where tourism is not a primary source of revenue, like the forests of Central Africa, that would be hard-hit by the ban. In some of these areas, the business is already going underground and morphing into organized crime. It’s not difficult to imagine that, when a multi-million-dollar, age-old industry becomes defunct, parties on both sides will suffer some consequences.

But, as written by Business Insider, these setbacks fail to “measure how much a diverse ecosystem is worth.”

Beyond a shadow of doubt, it’s possible to minimize the negative human impacts of banning the ivory trade. If the Canadian government shifts its stance and policy on the issue, it will have to do so intelligently and with the best interests of people around the world—including those who make a living off of the industry—in mind.

Surrey Citizens Rally to Protect Water from Oil Spills

NEWS BRIEF

Aly Laube | Coordinating Editor

As part of the National Day of Action to Defend Water, demonstrators from around Canada protested the Kinder Morgan pipeline on March 23.

Advocates rallying for the protection of the nation’s water quality gathered at the offices of Members of Parliament to express their concerns. After occupying these spaces for a while, many protesters entered the offices to offer the politicians samples of water taken from the parts of the B.C. coast that would be threatened by potential Kinder Morgan oil spills.

In Surrey, a group of citizens congregated outside of the office of MP Ken Hardie on 84 Avenue.

The construction of the Kinder Morgan pipeline is set to begin sometime in the future, but the CEO of the company, Steven Kean, recently told the CBC that the day for

breaking ground is still on hold.

"We're waiting to see how some of those decisions play out,” says Kean. “We expect the judicial review will be favourable. We think there is all the reason in the world for this pipeline for Alberta and the rest of the nation of Canada. I like the way a lot of that is lining up."

The concern of the activists who came together on March 23 is that the environment, and consequently, water, will be contaminated by oil.

The March 23 protests follow the construction of a traditional Coast Salish Watch House by Coast Salish spiritual leaders. The house will “act as a base for resistance to the project,” according to a write-up on the event page posted on leadnow.ca.

According to the same write-up, the goal of the movement is to convince the “Trudeau Liberals that pushing for Kinder Morgan to be built is not in their best interest.”

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WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS MONTH

MARCH 28

KPIRG AGM

The Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group is holding its annual general meeting. This is where they go over the society’s budget and appoint new directors.

There will also be a performance from JB the First Lady.

1:30 pm - 4:30 pm, KPU Surrey Cedar 1205, free.

MARCH 29 DIVERSITY 101

This event is for people interested in expanding their knowledge of diversity, particularly as it applies to a classroom setting. Participants will learn how to create an open and inclusive space.

9:30 am - 11:00 am, KPU Langley Room 1030, free.

APRIL 5

FROM CLASSROOM TO COMMUNITY

Greg Chan from the English department will be speaking about rediscovering how the humanities relate to the digital experience. He will touch on the work being done with Mise-en-scène: The Journal of Film & Visual Narration, KDocs, and English 4300: Writing and Persuasion Beyond the Classroom.

12:00 pm - 1:00 pm, KPU Surrey Cedar 2110, free.

APRIL 6

CHARLIE'S CHOCOLATE FACTORY

The Kwantlen Gaming Guild is holding its fifth annual Multiplayer Madness event. Typically this is one of the most well-attended events of the year, so stop by if you want to be a part of some gaming goodness.

11:00 am - 6:00 pm, KPU Surrey conference centre, free.

APRIL 6

SWING DANCE LESSONS

Active KSA is inviting you to take part in a 45-minute group lesson wherein participants can learn the fundamentals of swing dancing, no partner needed.

This is your chance to learn such classic dances as the Lindy Hop, the Charleston, and the Shag.

7:30 pm - 9:30 pm, Royal City Swing, $3.50 - $10.00.

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NEWS

KPU Institute for Sustainable Food Systems Finds that B.C. Farmland is Underutilized An ISFS white paper found that the province isn’t as self-sufficient in food production as it should be Joseph Keller | Staff Writer Farmland in B.C. is going to waste under current provincial policies, according to a white paper recently released by Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Institute for Sustainable Food Systems (ISFS).

The ISFS has spent the past 11 months creating a comprehensive document titled Protection is Not Enough: Policy Precedents to Increase the Agricultural Use of British Columbia’s Farmland which identifies the flaws in the province's management of the five per cent of its land that is suitable for agriculture.

According to this research, only about half of that small proportion of land is being properly utilized and, as a result, British Columbia’s food self-sufficiency is hurting.

“We don’t know what degree of food self-reliance we have [in British Columbia] but it’s not great,” says Dr. Kent Mullinix, Director of the ISFS. “The fact of the matter is that we could improve our food self reliance and our economic status considerably by getting this land into production.”

Mullinix says that the ISFS wanted to engage researchers and policy makers with the project but also wanted to give senior-level students the opportunity to research a policy-related challenge and how to solve it.

Angeli dela Rosa and Eric Wirsching from KPU’s sustainable agriculture program and Russell Liu from the policy studies program were selected to conduct research for the project under the supervision of ISFS research associate Kristi Tatebe. The students and staff worked all summer to find policies around the world that could be relevant to British Columbia's farmland usage issues.

Mullinix explains that a “free market ideal” has informed the provincial government’s approach to regulating agricultural land since the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) was established in 1973. The ALR was created with two purposes: to protect agricultural land and to

encourage productive agriculture. According to Mullinix, the latter goal was dropped almost immediately after the ALR’s establishment.

Under the ALR, there are no qualifications as to who can own or use agricultural land.

As a result, land is often divided and built on, used for rural residences or hobby farms, or otherwise left unused for food production.

Mullinix calls this a policy failure.

“Over the last 40 years, we in North America have been relatively enamoured with the free market ideal, and so bottom line is people get to use that land for whatever they want to use it for,” says Mullinix. “Concomitantly, you put your agricultural land to the ‘highest and best use’ and really what that means is however you can make the most money in the shortest time frame. There’s no consideration of sustainability or earth stewardship or anything like that.”

The white paper outlines 13 policy recommendations that the authors believe will help solve these problems. Some include offering tax relief to support agricultural production,

rezoning equivalent land for agricultural use everytime land is rezoned for uses other than farming, and putting restrictions on the ownership of farmland so that only people with the intent and ability to use the land to its potential can purchase it. For each policy recommendation, precedents are provided to show how it works elsewhere.

“One of the reasons that we put forth the kind of policy precedents that we did and the recommendations that we did is we absolutely recognize that business as usual isn’t going to do it and tinkering around the margins isn’t going to do it,” says Mullinix.

The B.C. government is currently engaged in a review of the Agricultural Land Commission and Agricultural Land Reserve with the objective of strengthening both. As noted in the white paper, this makes the release of the ISFS document very timely. Mullinix is hopeful that the provincial government is going to be receptive to the types of policies recommended in the white paper, even though some could prove controversial on the grounds of

private property rights and challenging the free market ideal.

“The idea of only a trained agriculturist with a bonafide agriculture business plan and objective being able to own agriculture land, while that makes great sense to us, is almost heretical [to free market proponents],” explains Mullinix. “So the question becomes, ‘How powerful a policy does the public and the government have the appetite for?’”

He stresses that the preservation, use, and management of British Columbia’s agricultural land is of vital importance, particularly as climate change threatens food sustainability in North America. Mullinix hopes that the paper will inspire those living here to think about new ways to approach food sustainability.

“This was the purpose of the white paper, focus attention because people know this is going on and people are not happy about it.

People know that with climate change and all these competing interests that we need to get serious about this before [agriculture suitable land] is all gone.”

Only five per cent of British Columbia’s land is suitable for agriculture and, according to the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems, only half of that is being properly used. (Flickr/Wikimedia Commons)

City of Surrey Unveils State-of-the-Art Biofuel Plant The facility will convert organic matter into renewable natural gas Ashley Hyshka | Community Reporter Surrey is undertaking a unique initiative by using discarded biomatter in green bins as renewable fuel.

As part of the effort to be more environmentally sustainable, the city recently opened the Surrey Biofuel Facility, a $68 million plant located in Port Kells Industrial Park. Food scraps and garden waste, which are collected once a week from the curbs of residents’ homes, will be left to ferment in enormous piles within the facility. The plant also has ventilation systems that prevent the stench from wafting outside the its walls.

In dry conditions, bacteria break down the biomatter over several weeks, causing methane gas to be produced. The methane is then captured and converted into natural gas, whereas excess biomatter is processed and turned into compost. The entire process takes approximately 90 days.

The natural gas produced in the biofuel plant

will be used to fuel Surrey’s fleet of waste collection vehicles, and excess energy will be used to heat and cool Surrey City Centre. In addition, it will prevent 50,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases from being pumped into the atmosphere each year, according to a CBC report.

“There’s not one other system in North America that compares to what we have here,” says Mike Starchuk, a city councilor and the chair of the Sustainability Advisory Committee for the City of Surrey.

Dr. Paul Richard, chair of KPU’s environmental protection technology program, notes that there is no simple means of reversing climate change. Still, he believes that the utilization of biofuels instead of fossil fuels for energy is a step in the right direction.

“I applaud Surrey for doing that,” he says.

“Surrey has proven, especially in environmental ladders, to be leaders now, anywhere from flood prevention to solid waste management.”

Starchuk says the plant was developed because the city became more conscious of

where its green waste was going.

While the biofuel plant is the first of its kind in North America, there is a somewhat similar facility in Richmond called Harvest, which deals with solid waste management. Unfortunately, Harvest has been bombarded by complaints about the smell from the public, sometimes up to 200 per month, especially during the summer. Starchuk says that Surrey was determined to avoid repeating the mistakes that were made with the Richmond facility.

The city implemented waste collection policies which separate green waste, recyclables, and garbage. Starchuk says the participation rate in this process was almost instantly at 80 per cent, calling it “a huge success.” The municipal government was confident that this level of participation warranted a biofuel plant, even before consulting restaurants and processing facilities.

Starchuk calls the plant part of a “closed loop” system. Surrey’s waste management fleet collects the green waste, takes it to the

biofuel plant, and converts it into natural gas. This natural gas then goes to fuel waste collection vehicles, thus forming a cycle of renewable energy and sustainability. The energy produced by the plant can also fuel the district energy system at city centre and other city-owned natural gas vehicles at no added cost to taxpayers.

At 160,000 square feet, the plant is capable of producing 120,000 gigajoules of renewable natural gas annually which, according to the facility website, is enough to power 8,500 cars for a year.

“Finally someone’s taking the chance on a relatively new technology,” says Richard.

“It’s quite remarkable, the engineering that goes in there.”

Starchuk hopes that the plant will educate citizens about what happens to their green waste and encourage them to be more conscious about their energy habits.

NEWS

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Candidates Announced for Student Seats on KPU’s Senate and Board of Governors Campaigning will take place until April 6, with elections held online from April 9 to 12 Joseph Keller | Staff Writer Kwantlen Polytechnic University has announced this year’s candidates for student representatives on its senate and board of governors. Those who hold these positions will represent the voices of KPU students on two of the university’s most important governing bodies.

This year, there are six students vying for four senate spots and five students looking to fill two board seats. The winners will face a myriad of challenges, as those who have previously sat on the senate and the board of governors have found it uniquely difficult.

“It’s very important to have student voices on the senate because without student voices there’s no actual way that faculty would be able to understand what students go through and what students would need,” says Fatima Romero-Afi, who is running for a spot on senate for the first time. “After all, every good government has a diverse group of members on its board, so having student members is extremely beneficial.”

Under the University Act, all universities in British Columbia must have a senate acting as their senior governing body. The senate oversees the awarding of certificates, diplomas, and degrees. It also sets the curriculums of programs offered by the university, qualifications for admission, academic and grading standards, and policies for discipline and appeals.

According to KPU’s website, the board of

governors oversees “the management, administration, and control of the property, revenue, business, and affairs of the university.”

Nominees will be campaigning until April 6, and the elections for both the senate and board of governors will be held from April 9 to April 12. Students will be able to vote online via a Sharepoint portal found at kpu.ca/elections.

The results will be announced on April 17.

This year’s nominations for senate include students Rawan Ali, Murdoch de Mooy, Oluwatosin Olugbebi, Fatima Romero-Afi, Lincoln Saugstad, and Christina Wilcox. All of the senate nominees with the exception of Romero-Afi are also running for a seat on the board of governors.

Each candidate has posted a statement on the election Sharepoint. De Mooy urges students to take some time to look into these statements to see what each candidate has to offer.

“Look at everyone’s statements and figure out something that you like. Feel free to contact the people running,” he says. “I know, in my history, every time I’ve tried to contact the senate members who are running they’re more than happy to chat, so contact them and see what they have to say.”

De Mooy, who is running for his second term as a senate student representative, says that his first term was an “eye-opening experience.” He considers the job a difficult one and explains that pushing initiatives through senate can be a very slow process.

Since student representatives are elected to one-year terms while faculty representatives are appointed for four years, many of the projects that student senators can get involved in either start before they begin their terms or start near the end of their terms, leaving them unable to fully complete tasks they take on.

De Mooy says that it’s difficult for new student representatives to catch up on initiatives that have been developing for years.

For him, the process of getting familiar with the various initiatives after his election was slow-going.

Another difficulty that student senators and board members have encountered is a perceived power imbalance caused by faculty representatives vastly outnumbering student representatives. De Mooy says that, in the past, this has created an oppositional mentality, as faculty and students differ on perspec-

tives relating to what the university needs.

“Being one of the four students in a room of 30 faculty and staff, it can sometimes seem like it’s us versus them, and they have the odds,” he says. “But then you just need to remind them sometimes, and sometimes even they remind you, that we’re here together and we’re working towards a common goal to make Kwantlen better.”

De Mooy and Romero-Afi both say that it’s important for student and faculty representatives to acknowledge each other’s perspectives and attempt to find consensus.

“I know that isn’t always easy,” says Romero-Afi. “I do know that change is definitely a slow process and it does take a lot of cooperation, a lot of time, a lot of talking, a lot of trying to understand what goes on for both faculty or students.”

Murdoch de Mooy is one of the students running for a seat on the senate and a seat on the board of governors. He is currently nearing the end of his first term as a student representative on KPU's senate. (Braden Klassen)

Retail Cannabis Consultant Certificate Program to be Offered at KPU For the first time, students will be able to learn about selling the green stuff in a classroom Joseph Keller | Staff Writer The days of buying a dimebag from your friend’s apartment are over. Marketing and selling cannabis in Canada is rapidly changing under new legal frameworks, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University is committed to being engaged in the future of budtending.

This spring, the university is developing a program to prepare future cannabis retail workers for selling cannabis responsibly and legally.

Unlike KPU’s other cannabis-related programs, the new course will take place on campus as opposed to online. It’s formatted as a three-day, 24-hour workshop dedicated largely to group work. Students will be instructed to role-play various retail scenarios so as to learn how to respond in a professional manner to common situations in the industry.

They will also learn about the history of cannabis prohibition and legalization in Canada, the fundamentals of the body’s endocannabinoid system, quality control, strain identification, product handling, and more. Heavy emphasis is put on understanding the intricacies of the legal framework behind selling cannabis in Canada.

David Purcell, KPU’s director of emerging business, says that students in the program will not be trained on how to treat medical

ailments with cannabis or to give medical or therapeutic advice.

“We have to be sure that all of the individuals who take this course understand that the science is still out on a lot of those things,” says Purcell. “As of now, the framework for what you can and can not say as far as the effects and what different stains will do is very limited.”

A pilot program will begin soon to identify any gaps or necessary changes in the curriculum. Purcell says that individuals taking part in the pilot course should have little to no previous experience with the cannabis industry so that the university can get a better sense of how well the program is preparing them. The fully-developed program will begin soon after that.

The program will be continually updated as more provinces release their unique cannabis regulation and as established regulatory frameworks continue to develop and evolve.

According to Purcell, the challenge in developing the Cannabis Consultant Certificate Program has been in understanding where the Canadian cannabis industry is headed during this transitional time. The current status quo for dispensaries operating in Vancouver, he says, will not resemble the future of cannabis retail.

“We’re working with a fairly narrow band

here,” says Purcell. “It’s very much about customer service, about understanding the plant, about understanding the retail environment and about understanding the client, and then doing that all within the regulatory frameworks of the provincial and federal governments.”

Development of the Cannabis Consultant Certificate Program involved a total of 96 hours of consultation with industry representatives and other stakeholders over the course of two full-weekend sessions. These

consultations included input from the Canadian Association of Medical Dispensaries, the Alliance of Beverage Licensees of British Columbia, and the British Columbia Government Employees and Services Union, as well as other experts from the cannabis, technology, and private liquor retail industries.

Purcell says that the diversity of the consultants that KPU worked with to create the pilot were key to understanding the cannabis industry as it is and will be.

(Epifania Alarcon)

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NEWS

Everything You Wanted to Know About Cannabis Legalization (But Were Too High to Ask) Despite being delayed twice since last year, cannabis legalization will be coming to Canada in 2018 Braden Klassen | Photo Editor Thanks to Bill C-45, 2018 will be the year that it becomes legal for Canadian adults to buy cannabis for their personal use.

Canadians have been able to access cannabis for medical purposes since Health Canada began to regulate it in 2001, but the drug has been prohibited federally since 1923, when it was included on a list of restricted substances as part of the Act to Prohibit the Improper Use of Opium and other Drugs.

In April 2017, Bill C-45—or “An Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and other Acts,” but better known as the “Cannabis Act”—was first introduced and read to Parliament. The Act came to fruition after the Liberal Party’s Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation, led by former health minister and Deputy PM Anne McLellan, published its final report in December 2016.

The publishing of the report and introduction of the Cannabis Act to Parliament were the results of the Liberals’ promise to legalize cannabis during the 2015 election. Their platform explicitly stated: “To ensure that we keep marijuana out of the hands of children, and the profits out of the hands of criminals, we will legalize, regulate, and restrict access to marijuana.”

In April 2017, the government gave itself a deadline and vowed to have cannabis legalized by the first of July 2018, though debate over the bill didn’t wrap up until it was finally passed by the House of Commons in November 2017. The final vote came to 200 for and

82 against, with the Bloc Quebecois and all but one member of the Conservative Party voting against.

The opposition, though, was happy on Feb. 15 when Senate announced that it would be delaying the timeline of implementing the bill even after it receives royal assent, saying that it will take eight to 12 weeks to fully implement a new market retail system for selling cannabis in Canada.

The delay has pleased members of the Conservative Party who say that more studies need to be done on the effects of legalizing cannabis, and Conservatives in the Senate have indicated that there will probably be amendments made to the bill before it passes.

Since the final vote on the Bill to pass the Senate will be held by June 7 at the very latest, Canadians shouldn’t expect to see legally sold cannabis in their province until the beginning of August, or even September.

Barring the unexpected, little else stands in the way of the bill once it passes the Senate in June, meaning that by September 2018, Canadians will be able to legally purchase a substance that has been prohibited in this country for almost 100 years, so long as they adhere to the restrictions and regulations imposed by the Cannabis Act. The bill will allow Canadian adults to buy fresh or dried cannabis, cannabis oil, or plants and seeds from provincially regulated retail-

ers or federally licensed producers. People will be able to possess up to 30 grams of dried legal cannabis in public and share it with other adults as well as cultivate up to 4 plants per household, as long as they don’t exceed a height of 1 metre. Canadians will also be allowed to create cannabis products like edibles at home for personal use, as long as they don’t require the use of “dangerous organic solvents” to make them.

The federal government has suggested that the minimum age of use would be 18 but, similar to laws on the sale of alcohol and tobacco, the legislation leaves room for each province or territory to raise the age limit.

(Nat Mussell)

CULTURE

Former Poet Laureate Speaks at KPU for Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination George Elliot Clarke discussed the discriminatory aspects of Canadian society on March 21 Aly Laube | Coordinating Editor As the seventh poet laureate of Canada, and as an Afro-Métis man, George Elliot Clarke has a unique perspective on the country he lives in. In government, policy, and society at large, Clarke sees not only systemic racism and sexism, but also a path forward for creating a more inclusive and genuinely multicultural Canada.

He addressed KPU students in the Surrey Cedar Conference Center on March 21 for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. His presentation followed several other, similarly-themed events on campus such as an anti-racism walk, forum, and film screening.

“I’m here today to talk about the anti-racist Canada of the near future, and I want to get to that by talking about our past a little bit,” he said during his address.

Clarke went on to explain how a book published by sociologist John Porter in 1965 relates to modern-day Canada and its current legislation by looking at the nation’s Constitution, its relationship to the Monarchy, and documents delegating various sorts of citizen statuses.

“The word ‘status’ is the vivid but silent sign that Canadian society is hierarchical and has hierarchical structures,” says Clarke.

“There are various forms of contingent statuses available … There are a number of statuses recognized in Canada other than citizenship.

Persons registered under the Indian Act, permanent residents, convention refugees, visitors, administors, permit holders [and landed immigrants] may all lawfully be in Canada.”

All permanent residents in Canada have mobility rights, but those without that status do not. For those defined by the government

George Elliot Clarke spoke to members of the KPU community about racial discrimination in Canada. (Aly Laube) as “visible minorities”—or "persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour"—this can be oppressive.

“From this definition, we can compute that this terminology is a bureaucratic euphemism that has the effect of rendering the visible minority group as visually other than the majority of Canadians—that is to say, white,” says Clarke. “But this terminology also represents Canadians of colour as citizens of suspect status because they are not the same complexion as the so-called mainstream, whose citizenship status is seldom ever questioned.”

One of the most significant challenges that Clarke says he faced as Canada’s poet laureate was remaining a non-partisan federal official.

However, he maintains that being able to act as a “spokesperson for the people of Canada in non-political ways, but in ways that were humane, down to earth, and humanitarian” was a “great honour.”

“I was very careful with any public discourse or critique of the government. I didn’t criticize anybody except in the most generic

ways,” he says. “But what was good about the position was that I had the opportunity to visit every part of the country, to speak about issues that I wanted to speak about, and post them on my website.”

The position of poet laureate can only be held by one person for a two-year term. Every two years a new poet is welcomed into the Canadian government, and every two years the native language of that poet switches between English and French.

With his term now over, Clarke is looking forward to writing more books, plays, poems, and film scripts. He is also a full-time professor at the University of Toronto, but above all, he will be focusing on “explicating Afro-Métis identity … [and being able to] continue to articulate that and put that out there for public consumption.”

“It was so good to be invited to come here, especially this time of year,” says Clarke, about visiting KPU. “I was curious about the university, about the student body, and to experience a different audience and see what kind of support these ideas might have here.”

In Celebration of Women’s Day, KSA Holds Day-Long Series of Events One event saw a panel of inspirational women speak at the Surrey campus on March 12 Aly Laube | Coordinating Editor Ecofeminism was the topic on the table for the six panelists at Women Working Together, a day-long event at KPU Surrey on March 12.

Designed to spark a conversation about the ties between race, gender, and sustainability, the event was divided into three sections for anyone interested in brushing up on the meaning behind modern women’s issues.

In the morning, an Indigenous Decolonization Workshop led by Sakej Ward of the Mi’kmaq Nation was held to teach students about Canada’s history of decolonization and to let them know how they can contribute to the cause. Poetry readings and presentations were offered in the afternoon before the panel began at 3:00 pm. At the end of the day, a screening of the documentary True Cost, a film about the environmental impact of the fashion industry, played in the KPU Surrey Conference Centre.

During the panel, two representatives from the Vancouver Women’s Library, local writers Claudia Casper and Rita Wong, KPU professor Seema Ahluwalia, and trans rights advocate Kelendria Nation spoke.

For both Ahluwalia and Wong, keeping a

tight focus on Indigenous issues and what’s being done with land and water in British Columbia is of the utmost importance.

“We’re in a very crucial time right now in terms of this province making a decision around the Site C Dam,” says Wong. “I came [to KPU] to speak about that and for people to see the connections between violence against the land and the rivers and violence against women and people.”

“People often say that wars of the future will be fought over water the way that they are being fought over oil, but I really believe that water is the path to peace if we can come together and pay attention to it and care for it,” Wong continues. “Kinder Morgan, Site C, fish farms—what connects them all is the sense that water is life and that water is sacred. If we start with that, I hope we can build a better culture.”

Ahluwalia, who is also the Kwantlen Faculty Association Status of Women Representative, says that “any movement that talks about violence against women and doesn’t center the role of the state and state agents is doing a disservice to women of colour and Indigenous women because those issues have to be front and centre.”

“The feminist movement has had a tendency to just focus on interpersonal violence, whereas anti-racist movements have had a tendency to focus on state violence. We’ve got to marry the two,” she adds. “Unless we address the racism that is at the foundation of our society, we can come up with all the slogans we want and it’s not going to help us understand the social factors that are underlying this violence and why it’s systematically directed at women.”

Kelendria Nation, who grew up in Surrey, says that she associates a great deal of trauma with this city. Still, Canada as a whole is privy to systemic, “covert racism” that she feels is a crucial element to consider when discussing feminism in the country.

Nation heavily emphasized her desire to stand by other women and queer folks as part of her advocacy. While she works at QMunity—B.C.’s queer, trans, and two-spirit resource centre—it is her role as an advocate that she holds dearest and makes sure to prioritize as a feminist.

The event was organized by the Kwantlen Student Association and held in celebration of International Women’s Day.

7

KPU Poetry Slam Receives Funding for New Year Mia Davison | Contributor Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s poetry slam team, Slamapalooza, has received funding from the Kwantlen Student Association that will keep the team and the monthly slam competition alive for at least another year.

The KSA decided to fund the slam at a Feb. 15 meeting of their Executive Committee, which Slamapalooza organizer and team coach Simon Massey attended as a guest. After Massey spoke on behalf of the slam, and what funding it would mean particularily for the creative writing students of KPU, $2,185 was released from the Clubs Support Funding line of the KSA’s budget.

Jay Reedy, the KSA VP Student Life, says that he is happy to support the team as it is one of the primary avenues for the KSA to encourage creative writing and poetic performance in the students of KPU. “I definitely see the value in us having those outlets for the students that are interested. Being able to have a wide range of events for different tastes and interests is definitely something I support,” says Reedy.

The Kwantlen Creative Writing Guild, KPU’s resident student club aimed at bringing creative writers across the school together, is one of approximately 30 student organizations that the KSA supports. It is the body that oversees the slam, and its members typically take part in the competition.

Each Slamapalooza event is divided between an open mic, a poetry slam competition, and a featured performer. Students and non-students alike are allowed to take part in the competition, and each year the highest-scoring poets make up the Slamapalooza team, which goes on to perform at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word. In the past the team has done well, even making it to the festival’s semi-finals in 2014.

With the funding comes a few changes to how the Slamapalooza event is held.

Instead of taking place in the Grassroots Cafe on the Surrey campus, it will be held in the newly renovated Birch building.

While there is plenty of seating in this space, and the venue is considerably quieter than the Grassroots, there is no stage for the poets to perform on. The result is a more intimate event, though with less of a chance for students unfamiliar with the slam to hear the poets and drop by.

Despite this, Jay Reedy says that the KSA has “got a lot of positive feedback from the organizers” about the upcoming event.

For more information about the Kwantlen Creative Writing Guild and Slamapalooza, check out their respective pages on Facebook.

8

FEATURES

Exploring Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Craft Renaissance In a world that is increasingly technology-driven, KPU offers a variety of old-school programs Joseph Keller | Staff Writer

When Katherine Vreugde told her friends and family that she was going to become a farmer, they responded unanimously with surprise.

She had spent the past 10 years as an accountant, and neither she nor her family had any roots in a farmer’s field. Her professional experience was gained almost entirely in an office environment.

Vreugde is one of a growing number of professionals who are acting on the desire to get out of the office and work with their hands. In his book Masters of Craft, sociologist Richard Ocejo writes about this trend of people losing interest in working at a desk. Sometimes this means beginning a career that has been practiced for ages, and other times it means taking a modern approach to an old craft.

As a polytechnic university, KPU is well-positioned to take advantage of this trend. The university offers a wide range of specialised programs from brewing to beekeeping, and in many cases, it’s the only university in the Lower Mainland—or even the country—to do so.

This makes KPU the school of unorthodox education for students who want to avoid that nine-to-five office job and take a chance working in a field that’s unusual and exciting.

Farming These days, Vreugde can be found planting her spring seeds in trays and preparing her plot of land for the summer. In the middle of the season, she’ll be spending most of her time maintaining her plot of land, harvesting, and going to farmer’s markets to sell her goods and meet her customers.

While the work is very different from what she was used to, she says that there are elements shared between her life as an accountant and her life as a farmer. They are both about maintaining relationships with colleagues, sticking to a business plan, and project management. Still, her life today is starkly different than it was just over a year and a half ago, when she started her first year in Kwantlen

Polytechnic University’s farm school program.

“I’ve always worked in front of a computer, so just being able to be outside and learn to work with your hands in a different kind of environment really appealed to me,” she says.

KPU’s farm school program is nine months long and specifically targeted to students like Vreugde who are entirely new to the farming industry. What makes it so accessible for new farmers is the fact that there are no prerequisites. The program focuses on small-scale farming and offers students a mix of in-class and practical instruction.

Vreugde is now returning to a farm in Tsawwassen to run a half-acre incubator plot of land with two other farm school graduates.

She says this will allow her to keep learning while also running her own business.

Brewing Perhaps KPU’s most celebrated unorthodox courses are found its craft brewing program.

Brewing instructor Alek Egi says that it’s the combination of craftsmanship, art, and science that’s driving students into his brew lab. Egi’s background is in engineering, and—as with most of his students—it was the opportunity to use what he learned in school to create a product he’s passionate about that made him want to become a brewer.

“I always liked to do things with my hands so that sort of hands-on experience was something interesting to me,” says Egi. “At the same time I also have a science background, so I really, really enjoy the chemistry, the biochemistry, and the microbiology, which we all need to understand in order to be a good brewer.”

Egi says that all of his students had an interest in the product before coming to KPU to learn how to brew. As the craft brewing industry evolves, educated, young beer drinkers are becoming more sophisticated and inquisitive about the business of brewing. The sensory aspect of enjoying the wide range of

craft beers available today often translates into an interest in the brewing process and, as a result, several of those with the right skills gravitate towards KPU’s program.

“Brewing, especially craft brewing, is a combination of both art and science,” explains Egi. “Art and expression are probably the factors that will distinguish one brewery from another. I guess that’s why people in the craft brewing industry are so passionate about it.”

Egi points out that the day-to-day life of a brewer involves a lot of hard, physical labour, and students quickly realize that it often mandates long days of work. For those passionate about beer, however, the end result is satisfying enough to make the heavy load worth it.

Beekeeping Students searching for a surprisingly lucrative career that will keep them outdoors can look into commercial beekeeping.

KPU instructor John Gibeau’s family has been keeping bees since just after the end of the second world war. He continued beekeeping on the side while working as a police officer until his retirement in 2000, when he went full time in the trade. Today, Gibeau is passing his passion on to a new generation through KPU’s beekeeping program.

He says that, due to an acute shortage of bees suitable for blueberry pollination, there is a great opportunity for new beekeepers to succeed.

“A lot of [students] are there for a different, cool type of business that they can make a living at and support a family with,” says Gibeau. “Some of them are there because they like nature but most of them are there because they want to make a living—and they like farming and they like going back to nature and they like the whole deal.”

According to Gibeau, 300 beehives will generate $150,000 per year in revenue with a net of $110,000. Revenue for a beekeeper comes

from pollination service to local farms as well as producing and selling honey. The duties of a beekeeper depends on the time of year— they feed the bees in the spring, prevent swarms from forming in the early summer, harvest in the mid-summer, and put them to bed for the winter. There’s a solid profit to be made for hard-working entrepreneurs in the field, as long as they don’t have bee allergies.

Horseshoeing On KPU’s Tech campus in Cloverdale, students are learning a trade that has hardly changed over hundreds of years.

An instructor in KPU’s farrier program, Gerard Laverty, has been shoeing horses by trade since the early ’70s in his home country, Ireland. Most of his students want to get involved in the trade because they enjoy being around horses or hope to be self-employed in the future.

“It’s one of those jobs that is as much art as it is science, in that you have to imagine what the hoof should look like. There aren't very many tools that we have available that will guide you to what the true shape of the horses hoof should be,” says Laverty. “With time and experience you develop an eye for it and then it’s really performance-based. It’s essentially being a mechanic for a horse.”

Laverty explains that, in the 21st century, there are not many high-paying jobs that allow people to be around such beautiful animals all the time. For horse lovers that don’t want to become veterinarians, being a farrier provides that opportunity.

It’s also encouraging that, unlike becoming a vet, students can become a farrier for less than $50,000.

“Certainly, the desire to do stuff with horses is just growing,” says Laverty. “People are so disconnected from nature that anything to do with an animal has real resonance. Those that feel that pull will make it happen one way or another.”

The KPU Commercial Beekeeping Program is run out of the Honeybee Centre in Surrey, B.C. (Mel Pomerleau)

Chris Van Veen, Director of Special Projects with Vancouver Coastal Health. (Submitted)

Gerard Laverty stands with one of the horses at the farrier workshop on the Cloverdale campus.

(Joseph Keller)

Students can experience getting their hands dirty in KPU's farm school in Delta. (Tommy Nguyen)

KPU Brewing Instructor Martina Solano Bielen and student-turned-instructor Jon Howe test beer in the KPU Brewing Lab, Sept. 2017. (Braden Klassen)

10

FEATURES

KPU Criminology Profs Study Addiction, Homelessness, and Outreach on the Surrey Strip Michael Ma and Mike Larsen are hoping to better understand the experience of those living on 135a Street Joseph Keller | Staff Writer Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Social Justice Centre (SJC) is at work to better understand the issues of homelessness and addiction in Surrey, particularly on 135a Street, where inequality in the city is most visible.

KPU criminology professors Michael Ma and Mike Larsen have set out to understand the circumstances of people living on 135a—colloquially known as the Strip—and the strategy employed by the city to provide outreach as part of their involvement with the SJC. Ma is particularly interested in collecting empirical evidence of what he believes “is already well established anecdotally” within this community: homelessness, addiction, mental illness, housing, and entering into recovery.

The Strip has long been a site where Surrey’s homeless have set up camp. In January 2017, the City of Surrey began a pilot project called the Surrey Outreach team consisting of 12 RCMP officers and four city bylaw officers. Along with organizations such as Fraser Health and BC Housing, they were dedicated to providing services in the area around 135a.

Last year, Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner told the media that the goal of the $288,000 program is to “provide 24/7 visible presence of police, bylaws, and social services to help those in need, increase the public safety and the protection of property of area businesses and residents, and target those who are preying on the vulnerable in the area.”

Ma stresses that the purpose of his study is not to ask what the City of Surrey is doing wrong in regards to outreach but to understand the realities of substance use and homelessness there. He developed a 41-question survey that was vetted by various experts —such as former B.C. Chief Medical Officer Perry Kendall and officials from Fraser Health—to reach that goal.

People living on the Strip were given $10 to spend 10-15 minutes answering questions related to their living situations, drug use, overdose history, desire for treatment, and willingness to use social housing programs under various circumstances. So far, 80 people have been surveyed, and 120 more will have participated by the time the survey concludes.

Ma says that the preliminary results of his

survey don’t reveal anything surprising about people living with homelessness and addiction in Surrey, but they do provide hard data on issues that have been understood unofficially. For example, the survey shows that about 80 per cent of people on the Strip have experienced overdoses, with each of them having overdosed an average of five times.

“I think, anecdotally, we know people overdose a lot but to actually see the numbers is a bit shocking,” says Ma. “I think that’s quite sobering when you look at the people who are telling you that they have overdosed again and again and again … even for someone who knows a lot about the topic.”

Ma’s survey found that a very large number of the people living on the Strip want to go into detox treatment. It also found that the majority of people living with addiction issues there had previously been in some form of treatment. Ma says that this information is relevant because it shows that providing these people with resources to get on the path to recovery is “low hanging fruit.”

As President of the BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, KPU criminology professor Mike Larsen was asked by KPU’s Social Justice Centre to help acquire information about the City Centre Response Plan via a freedom of information request.

Larsen and the SJC requested background information on how the city’s plan came together, how much is being spent on these issues, and how the program’s success is being measured. According to Larsen, all of this information should be made readily available by the city.

“There’s nothing in these documents that is shocking or scandalous or revealing any kind of wrongdoing,” says Larsen. “This is basically information about how the city is partnering with a variety of different bodies to provide services … but the public ought to know what kind of funds are being committed and with what objectives.”

Larsen says that the most surprising revelation from his FOI request was how extensive the surveillance is on 135a. While no personal information was disclosed in the documents provided, the information acquired from Larsen’s request reveals what he describes as a “pretty comprehensive plan to monitor people who are homeless in the Surrey Strip

On Wednesday mornings, people living on the Surrey Strip are instructed to clear their belongings from the street so that a garbage truck and street cleaner can move through. (Joseph Keller) area.” The response to the FOI request suggests that city is keeping close tabs on the residents of 135a for the purposes of housing and safety.

Also surprising, according to Larsen, is how often BC Housing and various shelter organizations monitor those who use their services.

A housing tracking table documents how close each service recipient is to receiving stable housing. This has made Larsen question who exactly is able to access this information, and he plans to send a separate FOI request to find out.

“Because it’s an unhoused population, because it’s a drug-using population, there’s this assumption that government institutions are going to watch, monitor, and track and gather information about them, but of course if you’re living on the street you have the same privacy rights as anybody else,” says Larsen. “Anytime you start seeing databases being made about people and tracing their activities and so on that are accessible outside of the usual channels, that’s cause for concern for me as a privacy advocate.”

“I’m not saying anything untoward is happening but I do want to know a lot more.”

The Surrey Outreach Team pilot project will conclude in January 2019, after operating for two years. From there, it will be up to the

city to decide if it has been successful enough to be continued.

While reports from the FOI request show data on arrests made in the area and other relevant information, Ma and Larsen both want to know more about how the city is tracking the pilot program’s success.

Ma says that, at the end of the Outreach Team trial, city officials will need to ask themselves hard questions.

“What have been the outcomes?” asks Ma. “Have they reduced homelessness on 135a?

Have they reduced problematic substance use? Have they improved people’s lives in terms of helping them get into detox and treatment? Can they show those numbers?

How many contacts have they had with people with problematic substance use? And how many of those contacts have translated into people entering into detox and successfully transitioning into more complicated long term treatment?”

Surrey City councilor Vera LaFranc declined to be interviewed by The Runner for this article and has expressed concern over the nature of Dr. Ma’s survey, citing privacy issues on behalf of the residents of 135a Street.

Homeless residents' tents and belongings are placed temporarily in the Surrey Legion parking lot while city crews prepare the Strip for a weekly cleaning. (Joseph Keller)

STUDENT SNAPSHOT

Paul Basinang and Ryan Saunderson verse each other in a friendly game of chess at the Kwantlen Gaming Guild’s annual Multiplayer Maddness event on Surrey campus, March 22.

(Braden Klassen)

Several tables were set up in the Cedar Conference Centre for students to bring their own games to play.

(Braden Klassen)

Left to right: Kieran Ryle, Josiah Tolentino, Justen Muirhead, and Nelson Brett Lovely enjoy a game of Elder Sign.

(Braden Klassen)

Akhil and Karkirat Singh play against each other in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, while Nitish Kumar watches.

(Braden Klassen)

The Kwantlen Gaming Guild set up a stage on one side of the Cedar Conference Centre so students could show off their moves while playing Just Dance. (Braden Klassen)

12

OPINION

Free Speech Isn’t at Risk on University Campuses Still, the concerns of free speech advocates aren’t baseless Tristan Johnston | Contributor The slow death of nuance can be exemplified by the last few years of controversy surrounding free speech on campus.

We must first define what “free speech” even is, and it’s a little different in Canada and the United States than it is in other parts of the world. Generally speaking, “free speech” means that the government cannot silence you. There are some minor restrictions of course, such as uttering threats or libel, but you can pretty much say whatever you want.

“Free speech” doesn’t mean that you can say something racist without the possibility of someone reacting to you, or your employer firing you. While you have the freedom to speak what’s on your mind, protesters have the freedom of showing up to your speech and disagreeing with you, so long as order is maintained.

Now, universities aren’t the government.

But most Canadian universities are government-supported, and given the weight they carry in our society, it’s fair to scrutinize their behaviour, especially as cauldrons of ideas.

In a conversation about nuance, it shouldn’t be too difficult to differentiate between speech being critical, and speech being hateful or malicious. I would hope that saying, “I disagree with X religious group on Y moral issue,” is critical, but not a racist or prejudicial statement, while saying, “X religious group is inherently violent,” certainly is.

In my view, most issues can be placed on an “intolerant speech - overlap - free speech” venn diagram. In the free speech space would be Lindsay Shepherd, who found herself in hot water at Wilfrid Laurier University for

showing a TVO debate between Jordan Peterson and several academics who disagreed with him. After posting the secretly-recorded interview to the internet, Shepard received an apology from the university.

On the opposing side would be clear hate speech. In August of last year, Ryerson University cancelled a talk that was going to feature Jordan Peterson and Faith Goldy, citing safety concerns. This event was to take place shortly after the white nationalist demonstrations in Charlottesville, which Goldy covered with Rebel Media.

Goldy had worked with Rebel Media for some time and was eventually fired when she veered away from the thin line separating altright from white supremacy. This happened when she went on a Daily Stormer-produced podcast and didn’t sufficiently question their ideology. Her recitation of the “Fourteen Words” a few months later on a separate altright podcast certainly doesn’t help her case for not being a white supremacist.

However, even in this case, safety was cited as the reason to cancel the event, not racism.

Jordan Peterson might be in the grey zone of free speech, in that he is getting much more wrath directed at him than what is justified.

While Peterson has many fans on the alt-right, it’s likely because of his critique of left-wing progressivism. He’s not alt-right himself.

The outrage against him has stemmed from comments he made in late 2016 on Bill C-16, which has since become law, in which he said he would not use “made up pronouns” such as “zhe” and “zher”. However, Peterson doesn’t seem to have an issue using binary pronouns with trans individuals, or

the singular use of “they.”

Many legal scholars have criticised Peterson’s reading of the law, saying that no such compelled speech is taking place.

So what the heck does properly executed freedom of speech look like? I would say that

if a KPU “Free Speech Club” were to form, its ideal demonstration would be putting on properly moderated debates. Anything more than that, as seen recently with UBC’s Free Speech Club, begins moving across the lines of the venn diagram into dangerous territory.

(@RESLUS)

Feel Like a Foodie by Ordering Secret Menu Items at the Grassroots Cafe Students can arrive hungry and enjoy delicious, off-menu finds at the Surrey campus cafe Daniella Javier | Contributor Whether or not you visit the Grassroots Cafe on a regular basis, you deserve to know about a few of the best dishes you can get there that aren’t well-advertised.

You may have to dish out a few more dollars in order to try some of the following items, but it’ll be worth it. At this point, you’ve already given KPU most of your money for tuition and books. What’s the big deal if you treat your taste buds to something mouth-watering?

Mexicali Salad If you’re a fan of the Grassroots’ Mexicali Wrap, you’re going to love it as a salad too.

Whether you’re “trying” to cut down on carbs (like me) or you’re not too fond of the wrap itself, worry not. The salad is practically the same thing as a wrap—minus the wrap—and at no extra charge.

When you order it, the server will probably ask if you want the chicken warm or cold. I prefer the chicken to be warmed and added onto the salad, but you can choose to have it cold. What could be better than a salad with chicken, cheese, peppers, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream? Did I say guacamole? Yes, I did. Tip: Ask your server to squirt a bit of Tzatziki on the side. Your taste buds will thank you.

Tater Tot Nachos Does anyone else feel like a little kid when eating tater tots? When the Grassroots first added nachos to their menu, I couldn’t wait to try them. If you love cheesy nachos with all the scrumptious toppings they have to offer, but you want a break from tortilla chips, have no fear—tater tots are here! Feel free to opt out of any of the toppings in case you don't like them. You may want to guard your plate because your friends might think this dish is too good not to share.

warmed up in the oven. But what you may not know is that you can get the caesar wrap with bacon instead of chicken. Bacon lovers, I’m talking to you! Take advantage of the chance to eat bacon in a wrap.

The next time you stop by the Grassroots, make sure to try one of the secret, off-menu items. Remember, “diet” stands for “did I eat that?”

Tuesday Mac and Cheese “Chili Dog” Wrap Okay, I’m starving just writing this description. The cheese gods must really be watching over cheese and carb lovers because this wrap is a match made in heaven for them.

On Tuesdays, arrive on an empty stomach at the Grassroots because you’ll want to try the mac and cheese “chili dog” wrap. I’m not too fond of chili, so I think I’d just order the wrap with mac and cheese. If this secret-menu item doesn’t make you drool, I don’t know what will.

Bacon Caesar Wrap For those of you who’ve tried the chicken caesar wrap at the Grassroots, you know that you can either have the whole wrap cold or

(@RESLUS)

OPINION

13

Victoria City Councillor Should Say “Yay” not “Neigh” to Horse-Drawn Carriages As long as horses are properly taken care of, Victoria should keep the long-standing tradition Daniella Javier | Contributor Not everyone in Victoria is on the horse-drawn bandwagon.

Since 1903, Tally-Ho Carriage Tours has been recognized as one of Victoria’s most iconic sightseeing experiences. Tourists in Vancouver can also go on horse-drawn carriage rides in Stanley Park. I can’t imagine someone visiting either city and not being able to go on a horse-drawn carriage ride. They’re both beautiful places for taking advantage of the various sightseeing options.

However, according to an article in the Vancouver Sun, Victoria Councillor Ben Isitt says that horses shouldn’t be used for recreational purposes. In order to make sure that the horses are treated humanely, Councillor Charlayne Thornton-Joe has proposed a bylaw amendment which would require horses to wear identification numbers that correspond with their name, description, and health record.

Thornton-Joe has said that there is growing concern over the horses’ well-being, particularly if they’re working in extreme weather such as excessive heat. There are also prohibitions against animals suffering from any physical pain.

However, as long as the horses are properly taken care of, they won’t be harmed. In fact, Tally-Ho Carriage Tours owner, Donna Friedlander, told the CBC that vets, farriers, and chiropractors always make sure that the horses receive the best care.

If horses are required to wear identification tags, organizations like the B.C. SPCA would be able to track their health. It’s not the most extreme method of protecting animals and it’s

sufficient enough to keep an eye on how well they’re being treated.

Animal activists may still argue that horses aren’t meant to be “labourers”, but Friedlander has said that their horses have been bred for over 300 years to pull carriages. They can also benefit from walking on the pavement because it helps build stronger bones, ligaments, and joints. If horses have been used for this attraction for over a century, their health levels are probably decent enough to do the job.

The newly-passed ban on animal retailing in

Surrey is one way in which activists are making sure that dogs, cats, and rabbits are not being handed to irresponsible pet owners. With that approach in mind, Isitt has a logical reason for saying that horses shouldn’t be drawing carriages because he wants them to stay safe.

However, it isn’t necessary for Victoria—or Vancouver, for that matter—to enact a ban on horse-drawn carriage rides.

Currently, Victoria City Council isn’t considering a ban, which is smart because the proposed bylaw amendments will likely be

successful in keeping track of horses’ health.

In addition, staff at Tally-Ho Carriage Tours need to make sure that their horses are being monitored well and regularly.

The only way that the changes are going to make a difference is if they mandate health assessments of the horses. If an identification tag reveals that they’re deteriorating under unfair conditions, then the carriage tours should come to a complete stop.

(Nicola Kwit)

Going Global: Britain’s Response to Russian Poisoning Theresa May and Her Majesty’s Government show what retaliation looks like Tristan Johnston | Contributor While the American executive branch rolls over for Russia, the British have shown that foreign governments don’t get to kill someone on their soil and get away with it.

Headlines were made across the world when a poisoning in a quiet English village nearly killed a former Russian double agent named Sergei Skripal and his daughter, leaving them in critical condition. Russia was quickly assessed as the culprit.

Sergei Skripal worked as a double agent for the U.K. from 1995 to 2004, stopping when he was caught by the Russian FSB and convicted of high treason. He eventually moved to Britain as part of a spy swap in 2010.

So far, the U.K. has expelled 23 Russian diplomats in response to the poisoning and is beginning to ask questions about how Russian-owned property in expensive London neighbourhoods is being paid for. If there’s one way to hurt Vladimir Putin, it’s to hurt his oligarchical benefactors.

I’ll be honest; I’m not a fan of the current British Prime Minister, Theresa May. I could easily make every column about how badly Brexit is going, what an embarrassment it all is, and how much I wish the Lib Dems had won in the snap election so that they could scrap it. But credit needs to be given where

it’s due: May’s response to the poisoning is exactly the kind of attitude that needs to be taken against Putin’s strong-armed tactics.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the United States still looks feeble. In contrast to the British government’s show of force against Russian meddling, President Donald Trump is merely pretending to be mad at Putin. On March 13, he said that, if Russia’s involvement with the poisoning is confirmed, the United States would “condemn Russia or whoever it may be” and side with the British.

However, the United States has yet to take any meaningful action over findings that Russia interfered in the 2016 Presidential election, despite every American intelligence agency and a few international intelligence partners confirming so. The fact that the President of the United States is reluctant to badmouth Putin while some of his executive hires are doing so readily makes the country look weak.

The Russians, of course, deny that they had any involvement in the poisoning, even though intelligence agencies say otherwise.

Regardless, it’s well known that Putin is ruthlessly Machiavellian in the business of crushing and obstructing his opposition, whether that opposition be spies, journalists, or politicians like Alexei Navalny, whose election bid against Putin was derailed by embezzlement

charges—charges that many consider to be politically motivated.

It’s in Russia’s interest to make dissenting as unappealing as possible. Through poisoning Skripal, Russia is showing the world that, even if you find safety after selling secrets to the West, you will eventually be found and killed.

Authoritarian countries like Russia might look stable from the outside—as it has had the same two people acting as Prime Minister and President for nearly 20 years—but it is much more fragile than it appears. In a democ-

racy, a percentage of the political power is distributed amongst the entire population, and there’s a constant expectation of leaders to be prepared to lose the next election. In 2019, Trudeau could lose and be replaced by Andrew Scheer or Jagmeet Singh, and while there would be changes in the government, nothing would fall apart.

In Russia, if there was someone more competent, intelligent, and capable than Putin, he would have been replaced a long time ago.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May. (Wikimedia Commons)

14

COLUMN

Artist Spotlight: Sleepy Gonzales Catch this band of (mostly) KPU students performing on campus Aly Laube | Coordinating Editor It’s not every day that an indie rock band plays at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

The chances of being able to watch live music anywhere near the Surrey campus are usually fairly abysmal, with only open mics and special performances popping up from time to time.

That’s why, when Sleepy Gonzales played at the Grassroots Cafe this year, the band made waves in the community. Shortly afterwards, we started seeing their gig posters between housing ads and survey call-outs on our campus bulletins.

The band is made up of Surrey locals, three of which—Beni and Cristian Hobson-Dimas and Allyson Lowry—are students at KPU. The other is their bassist, a punk rock devotee named Nick Moniz, who is the most recent addition to the band.

Sleepy Gonzales say that they’re happy to be a part of the university’s culture.

“There were actually quite a few people here for the open mics. Everybody who goes here has something they want to express, whether it’s a song or a poem or whatever, and they get to have a stage here to do it,” says Hobson-Dimas. “Being more open about how we’re in a band, people from Kwantlen actually come out to our shows that are not at Kwantlen and it’s really cool to see people I’ve seen at school come because we bothered to put posters up.”

“I think the creative writing department has a sense of community because I always see the same people, so it’s nice to get to know them,” says Lowry. “Doing the open mics kind

of added to it as well because it wasn’t just like, ‘I’m going to school and I leave.’”

You might also recognize Cristian from one of KPU’s promotional ads, or Beni as your friendly neighbourhood tutor in the learning centre.

Drummer Beni and guitarist Cristian are twin brothers and the primary songwriters for the band. The three boys were in a punk rock band together before deciding to dedicate their energy solely to Sleepy Gonzales.

On their social media, they describe themselves as “suburban sadness drenched in reverb” or, alternatively “dreamlike melodies backed by raw, tired energy.” While the for-

mer may have been truer of their early releases, the latter is becoming increasingly more fitting, especially with their new Crash and the Boys-esque single, “IFHY”.

On March 30, they’ll be dropping a sixsong, self-titled EP including some never-before-seen material and a handful of revamped renditions of old releases.

“There’s a punk song called ‘I Fuckin’ Hate You’ but there’s also the opposite end of the spectrum with a song called ‘Close Enough’ which is just a groovy dance love song,” says Beni. “The songs in between those build a bridge between them because there’s more energetic songs and softer songs.”

“I feel like a large range of people will enjoy it because of that,” adds Lowry.

“With this one, I’ll be proud to show anyone who asks,” continues Beni. “Usually I’m kind of shy because I’m not completely proud of something we’ve made, but this one I’ll toss at all my profs, at all the people I tutor.

I’ll throw it at them.”

Their sound is becoming heavier and more danceable as the band gets comfortable in their role as a gigging Vancouver band. Catch their next show, which is being held in celebration of their album launch, at The Roxy on March 30 with Club Sofa and Withering Blooms.

From left to right: Beni Hobson-Dimas, Allyson Lowry, Cristian Hobson-Dimas, and Nick Moniz strike a pose in the KPU Surrey campus parking lot. (Aly Laube)

After Thought: B.C.’s Youth Deserve an Equal Place in Our Democracy

Lowering the legal voting age to 16 would be a move towards more holistic representation in government Braden Klassen | Photo Editor In mid-March, B.C. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver made an announcement suggesting that the province should lower the voting age to 16. It’s a good idea based on a simple premise: that the youth of today deserve to have a say in their future.

The internet has given members of our society an unprecedented ability to inform themselves, and typically, younger people have always been the demographic most capable of keeping up with the ever-accelerating changes in technology. Younger students are getting smarter and more sophisticated, as well as more politically organized, compared to past generations.

Social media has become a powerful tool for change, and nobody knows how to use it better than the kids in high school. Just look at the States and the conversation surrounding gun control.

In opposition to the increasing amount of gun violence in American high schools, students are banding together and putting pressure on the NRA and the U.S. government to implement sensible gun control regulations.

Students are taking it upon themselves to enter the national discussion. They’re voicing their opinions in ways that may have real effects on policy, even if they can’t participate in democracy through the traditional method of voting.

In 2014, Scotland allowed people as young

as 16 to vote in their referendum for national independence, which demonstrated high school students’ ability to mobilize politically. The Brexit referendum, on the other hand, did not allow youth to vote—despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of them were opposed to it—and they would ultimately be the ones left to deal with the consequences.

Policy decisions with the potential to create very long-term consequences are being made every day, so it hardly seems fair that the people who will actually be affected down the line are unable to vote.

People can object, saying that high school students might be easily swayed by their parents’ opinions and would just act as an extension of their electoral demographic, giving parents more power come election time. But that same argument could be said about voters of any age.

Nobody is immune to being persuaded to vote one way or another by their peers, so it seems arbitrary to single out 16-year-olds.

If politicians were more inclined to appeal to younger voters, they would pass policies geared towards benefitting the future. Since the Kyoto Protocol was enacted in 1994, Canadian politicians have repeatedly promised to lower greenhouse gas emissions, yet have never actually made good on those promises. That’s more than 20 years of unaccountability and inaction.

If 16-year-olds were able to vote, it would be more rewarding for governments to stick

(Epifania Alarcon) to long-term plans, forcing them be more accountable for their promises.

Sadly, it may also be the case that the increase in youth involvement with politics is happening out of sheer necessity and self-preservation. Older generations, including my own, have carelessly charged the youth of today with handling the effects of climate change, burgeoning globalization, and the growing volatility of the economy.

The stakes are higher for them, but under

the current voting age, they are essentially stuck with being ruled by people who do not share their experiences or perspectives. They are stuck with being subjugated by the tyranny of the majority.

Younger students deserve the right to stand up for themselves and fight for their own interests and for the longer-term interests of this world. It’s becoming increasingly clear that, on many levels, nobody else is willing to.

PROCRASTINATION

HOROSCOPES Sagittarius Nov. 23 - Dec 21 Keep on truckin’.

Pisces Feb 20 - Mar 20 Third time's the charm.

Gemini May 21 - Jun 20 It is Wednesday my dudes.

Virgo Aug 24 - Sept 23 Workin’ nine-to-five, amiright?

Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19

Capricorn Dec. 22 - Jan 20

Hot enough for ya?

You do you, my friend.

Taurus Apr 20 - May 20

Aries Mar 21 - Apr 19 Respect the game.

Listen, I don’t have time to explain. At precisely 11:45 on April 2nd I need you to wait outside the big red barn on the corner of Mt. Lehman and Taylor Roads. A man will approach you wearing a long black trench coat and a silver rose in his lapel. He will give you a package. You must guard that package with your life.

Leo Jul 24 - Aug 23

Cancer Jun 21 - Jul 23 You’ll find someone waiting at the corner of Mt. Lehman and Taylor Roads. Destroy this person. They are in league with the enemy.

Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 22

Libra Sept 24 - Oct 23 When death appears in its true form as the gaunt, grim reaper, one beholds it not without fright. But when, to mock those who fancy they can mock it, death appears in disguise, when the observer sees the unknown figure captivating everyone with his courtesy and causing all to exult in the wild gaiety of desires is death, then a profound terror seizes him.

SUDOKU

Nothing like a warm cup o’ joe.

Easy-breezy, ha-ha, I love it.

THE DOODLE BOX Last issue’s answers.

Look for the answers in the next issue of The Runner.

We’ve merely started the creation, you get to finish it! Tweet a photo of your drawing with #runnerdoodles and you could be featured in the next issue!

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