The Runner: Volume 8, Issue 19

VOL-08-ISS-19

July-26-2016

News A Campaign for Student Housing

Culture KPIRG Searches for a Permanent Home

Opinion The Too-Dirty Secrets of KPU Confessions

Poking ‘mon since 2009

IS KPU A Pit Stop on the Way to Better Schools?

find us online / runnermag.ca / @runnermag / facebook.com/runnerMAG / INSTAGRAM.com/RUNNERMAG

02 Table of contents

05

staff

News | KSA Continues Petitioning for Student Housing

If the Kwantlen Student Association has its way, Kwantlen Polytechnic University could see student housing built on-campus within the next few years.

Coordinating Editor

08

Tristan Johnston editor@runnermag.ca

Feature | Is KPU a Pit Stop School?

Managing Editor

Connor Doyle managing@runnermag.ca

“We haven’t had enough time to establish ourselves yet,” she says. “To me, it’s all about who has the most compelling program and whose professors can prepare me for this world. Whether you’re a student or KPU itself, we all have to start somewhere.”

Production Manager

11

Danielle George production@runnermag.ca

Art Director

Scott McLelland art@runnermag.ca

culture | Life in KPIRGatory

After three years of sharing a space with the Kwantlen Pride Collective, KPIRG has become officially homeless.

Photo Editor

Kier-Christer Junos photo@runnermag.ca @kierjunos

12 14

Staff Writer

Alyssa Laube staff@runnermag.ca

Opinions | The Too-Dirty Secrets of KPU Confessions

Scroll down the page and you’ll find a handful of funny anecdotes and a smidgen of embarrassing mishaps, but a shocking amount of the content errs on the side of darkness and bigotry.

Web Editor

Yaunna Sommersby web@runnermag.ca

Production Assisant

Kayla Frier prodcuction@runnermag.ca

Columns | Going Global: Turkey’s Attempted Coup

Operations Manager

Two weeks ago, a portion of Turkey’s military attempted to assert control over the country. What does this mean for the U.S., NATO, and the fight against ISIS?

Scott Boux office@runnermag.ca 778.565.3801

#FeatureTweets Annie Christiaens @AnniePierotti Studying fuelled by @Popsicle tonight

#BestPhoto

. Let’s see how this works out. #kpu

ivy @fitzgerughld there are six pokestops in kpu i never want to leave Claudia Casper @claudiadasper Ambushed @KPU Women’s Writing Collective. Sleepover with literary benefits+potent sangria #powergroupofliteraryconvo

Arbutus 3710/3720 12666 72 Ave. Surrey, B.C, V3W 2M8 778.565.3801 www.runnermag.ca Vol. 08, Issue no. 19 July 26, 2016 ISSN# 1916 8241

Contributors Calvin Borghardt Kyrsten Downton Neil Bassan Joseph Keller Melissa Pomerleau Rosaura Ojeda Kat Nekuryashchikh Nat Mussell Tasman Brewster

camrasouthfraiser Wednesday is Farmers Market Day at Langley KPU. The KPU brewing program makes a great Pale Ale to pair up with and award winning Aged Cheddar from @farmhousecheeses in Agassiz. It makes for a true local pairing, head over there to check out what’s going on and be sure to bring your growler and craft beer passport!

Cover

Shandis Harrison is an upstanding young citizen who has never been accused of a crime in her life.

She spends most of her days donating to charity, helping little old ladies cross the street, and saluting the Canadian flag. She has no identifying marks or scars. If attempting to arrest Shandis Harrison, please consider how you hurting your loved ones and undermining this beautiful democracy in which we live. God save the queen, and god save Shandis Harrison.

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.

Editorial 03

From The Editors

It’s better than you think

Tristan Johnston | Coordinating Editor Lately the news appears to be much more depressing than usual. Shootings in the U.S. are constantly being reported, Turkey almost had a military junta, and there was another massacre in France. It would appear at first glance that the world is getting worse.

I’m not the only one who’s waiting for 2016 to end. We keep hearing about how we’re cooking the Earth to a crisp, populism is on the rise, and some people who shouldn’t be politicians could become politicians.

The reason why things seem to be getting worse has a lot to do with technology. As anyone in Black Lives Matter will tell you, unnecessary police violence is nothing new—what’s new are the cellphones with video cameras that capture the violence.

Also new are Twitter and the 24-hour news channels. Television networks such as CNN, Fox, MSNBC, and more are unrelenting in their reporting. Watching these channels can feel overwhelming, and being inundated with stories about terrorist attacks, mass shootings, and scary politicians can make the world seem worse than it is. Part of the focus on negative news is because networks know what draws eyeballs, and for the Facebook generation, shares and likes.

In “What Makes Online Content Viral?” an academic study by Jonah A. Berger & Katherine L. Milkman, it’s suggested that anger is the emotion you most want to activate in your audience if you want your online content to spread. “Awe,” practical value, and interest are also good buttons to press, but anger will take your content far and wide.

The news industry was already well aware of this.

With the internet comes instantaneous communication. I had the option of watching 50 different

live streams of Istanbul at any moment. Not from Turkish news organizations, but regular people with Periscope. I also had this option when watching BLM protests in the last few weeks. Regular people have been faster at communicating and getting information out there than journalists.

Up until a few years ago, we had a large handful of media companies who’d sort and filter through this information to figure out what was worth reporting on.

Rules and traditions are constantly getting flipped around and screwed with. It might look like things are getting worse for women and minorities, but we’re simply much, much more acutely aware of it when something bad happens. Many of our ears and eyes are tuned to spotting injustice and getting upset about it.

More so than any previous generation.

Today, everything can be found if we want it to. That’s why it seems like everything is getting worse.

In actuality, most things are getting better.

Hearing about the many conflicts around the world can be distressing, but it’s nothing like what you’ve read about in history. World War I and II deaths were in the millions.

Current combatant deaths are in the thousands. In general, warfare is getting smaller and smaller in scale.

Partially because globalization and trade has made it very, very bad to shoot the guy that brings you business.

Back in the day, conflict between two major powers was a constant possibility. Today, China and the US

going to war is practically impossible.

Since 1990, over 1 billion people around the world have been lifted from poverty. While middle-class wages are suffering in North America, your money goes much further than it has in the past. It’s much better to be poor in 2016 than in 1970. Part of this can be owed to the massive economic expansion in China, and increasing trade and development in Africa.

I will concede that the environment is getting worse, but it’s not like we’re sitting on our hands. China, one of the worst polluters in the world, is making a push to change their coal power

plants to nuclear. Plenty of European countries have already enacted strategies to reduce or eliminate CO2 emissions. The ozone layer is starting to close.

Of course we shouldn’t ignore bad news, but we should try to think more about our own biases. Yes, it’s going to be hard for us to buy a house, but unlike your grandparents, you’re much, much more likely to have a safe and productive life if you’re not a straight, white male.

Obviously I’m in an awkward position here, it’s in my best interest as a journalist that you consume the news, but I wouldn’t put it past anyone to consume it with a critical eye.

News Briefs

Approximately $30,000 was approved by the Kwantlen Student Association to be spent across three peer conferences this year. According to the KSA’s VP Finance & Operations, Rawan Ramini, the proposal to fund these events was originally higher by about $5,000, but was decreased and finally approved by the KSA executive team.

The spending will accommodate a third conference this year, whereas funding was only allocated to two peer conferences in the past. The new event is called “The Big U” and will focus on personal wellness. The difference between this conference and the “Pieces of Mind: Mental Health” conference is not yet clear. “[The events] were really, real-

ly successful, and the turnouts were way better than the peer support team expected. They were expecting something small scale [that] had a very good turnout,” says Ramini. As a result, they have increased the scale of each conference and spent much more time planning the promotion and events themselves this year.

Ramini also cites the presence of Laci Green, a Sex Ed teacher and YouTuber with 1.5 million subscribers, at this year’s Sexpo conference as another reason for the high cost. Green has spoken at many universities and conferences around the world on sexual health and sexual violence prevention efforts. In addition to her own YouTube Channel, she works with MTV on their YouTube channel original called “MTV Braless” and produces videos for Planned Parenthood.

Connor Doyle

July 26

Art of Resistance, Vol. 2

A multi-disciplinary showcase of visual art, storytelling, and spoken word. The audience will be lead through a MesoAmerican Resiste story, and food and refreshments will be provided.

1:00 - 6:00 p.m., Surrey Campus Fir 128, Free.

july 28 KSA Open Mic Night

The KSA is inviting you to perform your talents on stage at the Grassroots in front of all your friends. Whether tomatoes will be provided or you’ll have to bring your own, remains to be seen.

6 - 8 p.m., Surrey Campus Grassroots Cafe, Free.

july 28 KDocs Special Screening

KDocs will be screening two CBC documentaries, How We Got Gay and Transforming Gender for Pride week. This event will also feature a keynote address, panel, and town hall discussion.

6 - 9 p.m., Surrey Campus Fir 128, Free.

july 31 Vancouver Pride Parade

Join Pride Kwantlen and the Kwantlen Student Association as they march in Vancouver Pride! The theme for this year is “Better Together.”

Meeting place and start time TBD, Free.

KSA Approves $30,000 for Peer Support Conferences Melissa Pomerleau

What’s Happening this week

“She’s going to be there to talk about the problem of rape culture and consent. She’s going to be there for questions and answers and she’s going to spend the day with students talking about those kinds of things,” says Ramini.

Each conference will be held on the Surrey campus, but there is talk of a potential live stream of Laci Green’s talk across all four campuses for those who are unable to attend in person.

All three of the conferences do include their own guest speaker. However, Laci Green was the only one mentioned by name when asked about the huge cost associated with the Peer Support Conferences. Green’s individual price tag was not specified.

aug 05

Jag and the American

A play written, directed, performed, and produced by KPU instructors and alumni will be at The Cultch in Vancouver. Come on out to see this South Asian influenced adaptation of two Hemingway stories.

7:30 p.m., Vancity Culture Lab, $20 (adult) $15 (student) $15 (senior) $10 (children 12 and under).

aug 11

Summer End Reading Celebration The Kwantlen Creative Writing Guild will be hosting featured poet Kevin Spenst at the event. There will be readings, an open mic, and pizza and refreshments for all.

6 - 8 p.m., Surrey Campus Fir 128, Free.

04 News

KSA Conducts Consultations for Annual Budget Plan VP Finance & Operations hopes for more student involvement Melissa Pomerleau Each year, students and faculty are invited by the Kwantlen Student Association to learn about how the KSA’s finances should be spent. Rawan Ramaini, the KSA’s vice president of finance and operations, will be hosting this year’s consultations and hopes that Kwantlen Polytechnic University students will contribute ideas for the 2017 budget.

“All students are welcome to come. In fact, they are encouraged to come,” says Ramini.

The first phase of the budget consultations will take place in August, when KSA staff will submit their budget worksheets to the Ramini.

Following that, students will have the opportunity to get involved sometime between late September and early October to have their say.

Although the turnout last year was small, Ramini is hopeful that more students will take part this year.

“The main reason I’m doing this is to answer students’ questions. I want them to understand how the budget works,” she says.

With last year’s turnout in mind, Ramini is planning to host more events across the four campuses to help encourage more students to participate and have their voices heard.

Ramini is planning to be available for two days on the Surrey campus and one day on each of the other three campuses in order to accommodate all students. The budget consultations are a Q&A-style meeting for students and faculty to come and go as they please.

To help promote more student involvement, there is even the possibility that students unable to attend the meetings in person will be able to submit questions and feedback electronically to Ramini during the consultation periods.

“I just want to encourage students to actually come out and ask all the questions that they have,” says Ramini.

Everything regarding the KSA budget is posted online and updated regularly for students to see, should they have questions or concerns regarding the way KSA finances are handled.

Funding Confusion Between KPIRG, SOCC, and KSA Draws to a Close Origin of “Genocide Across Space and Time” event funding uncertain until shortly before the event Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer Bemusement was in the air this month between the Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group, the Kwantlen Student Association, and the Students of Colour Collective—a KSA club— when none of the three parties could conclusively say who was funding an educational event planned for July 21 entitled “Genocide Across Space and Time.”

Near the end of June, a planning tool requesting $2,050 in funding for “Genocide Across Space and Time” was submitted to the KSA by SOCC. However, the Students of Colour Collective was not mentioned on the event’s Facebook page, nor were their names written on several of the posters promoting it around campus or online.

Only KPIRG’s name and logo were on the electronic promotional materials at that time, which raised the question of why the Collective was asking for funding from the Association when it appeared that they were not heavily involved.

KSA President Alex McGowan initially commented that he was under the impression that GAST was an entirely SOCC-run event, and that KPIRG’s role in its organization may impact whether or not the funding would be approved.

Technically KPIRG cannot ask for funding from the KSA, as a fee is already gathered from the Kwantlen

Polytechnic University student body on their behalf. However, all of the Association’s seven constituencies— including SOCC—can and are encouraged to ask the KSA to fund their events.

With KPIRG’s large budget— which yielded a $44,556 surplus in 2015 after expenses—and mandate— which is focused around social justice and advocacy—they are the perfect group to fund an event like “Genocide Across Space and Time.” The public event hosted several guest speakers, a forum, and panel discussion in the hopes of bringing attention to a rarely examined and commonly sensationalized subject, so the morals behind it fall neatly in line with KPIRG’s values.

The Students of Colour Collective, constituted by ex-KPIRG Directors Ayesha Khan and Nubwa Wathanafa, were abroad for a summer school program in Geneva during part of the planning for GAST, and therefore unable to be reached for an extensive interview.

“Because of this [trip], we are utilizing KPIRG’s event coordinator staff to provide us with logistical conference support, including marketing materials and chairing conference planning meetings in our absence,” write Khan and Wathanafa, in an email July 7.

“Judging from your questions, it seems as though you are using our event as a platform to complicate the relationship between KPIRG and KSA. Both organisations work towards the betterment of the student body and should in no way be reflected as anything else,” they add.

At that time, it was believed that GAST remained a SOCC event with only “lo-

(Courtesy of KPIRG)

gistical conference support” provided

by KPIRG, so the funding proposal to the KSA remained valid.

Just under a week later, McGowan reports hearing that KPIRG decided to fund the event themselves, and on the day before it was held, KPIRG Events Coordinator Sonja Kreuzkamp provided confirmation.

Kreuzkamp explains that their decision to fund GAST, which was made on July 8, came about because of inconvenient timing. If the funding were to go through the KSA, it would not have been approved until the day of the event, meaning that SOCC and KPIRG would not be able to pay honorariums in-hand to speakers from out of town or be guaranteed financial support for any of GAST’s expenses.

Therefore, KPIRG stepped in to provide the $2,050 and officially decided it was co-hosted equally by both KPIRG and the Students of Colour Collective.

Kreuzkamp and KPIRG Research Coordinator Deanna Fasciani say that the reason they did not offer to fund GAST earlier is that they feel the constituencies should go to the KSA before they go to KPIRG. Rather than being the first source of event funding, Fasciani describes KPIRG as “a safety

net” for those that don’t get what they need from the Association.

“They’re a KSA collective.

[SOCC] would go to the KSA because it was their plan, their idea, from the get-go,” says Kreuzkamp.

“We’ve had student collectives and constituencies come to KPIRG when they’ve been denied funding from the KSA,” says Fasciani. “Often, [students] will submit a planning tool and be told that it’s not going to get to council before the event. They’ve come to us when they’ve been denied funding, and that’s happened many times.” One example she provides is for “certain KDocs events.”

“Sometimes, these groups come to us first and we tell them, ‘You’re a KSA club. Go to the KSA first and make use of that resource, because obviously they have more money and we try to use our money as wisely as possible.”

Last year, approximately 7.2 per cent—$14,858—of KPIRG’s total expenses was attributed to events, $3,752 less than the year before. The KSA’s Clubs and Events Fund for 2015 cost $231,751, which represents approximately 11.1 per cent of their total expenses, $21,751 less than the year before.

“Genocide Across Space and Time,” co-hosted by the Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group and the Students of Colour Collective, was held on July 21, 2016 (Kier-Christer Junos)

News 05

KSA Continues Petitioning for Student Housing Campaign may ride on increased voter turnout Calvin Borghardt If the Kwantlen Student Association has its way, Kwantlen Polytechnic University could see student housing built on-campus within the next few years.

Alex Lomelino, chairperson of KSA Standing Committee on External Affairs, believes that the provincial government’s willingness to work with student associations could move the KSA’s student housing campaign forward.

“I started hearing whispers about this as early as spring of last year,” says Lomelino. “There were a couple of ideas of what it might look like, and suddenly we have a whole campaign idea.”

The campaign, organized by the KSA and the Alliance of B.C. Students, will aim to convince the provincial government to allow the construction of on-campus housing at post-secondary institutions.

Alex McGowan, the chairperson of the ABCS—as well as both president and vice-president external of the KSA—says that discussions about student housing have been going on at the ABCS for years.

“It has been a lobbying priority for a number of years. This year it was decided that it was . . . the best issue to campaign on,” says McGowan.

The campaign organizers began their advocacy of on-campus housing for students earlier this summer,

(Rosaura Ojeda)

through advertisements during summer Welcome Week. In September, the KSA and the ABCS intend to continue the promotion of the campaign.

“Across all campuses we’ll launch a petition calling for the construction of residences,” says McGowan.

The ABCS will also be publishing a research paper on the social benefits of in-residence housing, and why more universities and colleges should

have them.

“We want to show that we have all our ducks in a row and that this is a good idea for anyone who wants to dig a little deeper,” says McGowan.

“A comparable institution of our size anywhere else in Canada would have residence housing.”

The KSA and the ABCS claim that the construction of student housing will also relieve some pressure from

the housing market and infrastructure, since fewer students will be using the transit system or driving on the roads.

“There is data that supports that student housing would have a positive effect on not only students’ lives, but also the lives of people in the Lower Mainland, specifically in response to the housing crisis,” says Lomelino.

However, the government has not yet made the construction of new stu-

dent housing on post-secondary campuses a priority.

“The ABCS has been asking for a couple of years to just allow universities to submit an application to take on debt [and] build residence housing that’s self-financing, because the students pay a residence fee that services the debt,” says McGowan. “The administration recognized that we should have it and they’re ready to build it if the funds are made available.”

There is also evidence supporting the notion that political parties have a vested interest in harnessing the youth vote. In February, Statistics Canada found that just over 69 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 24 voted in last year’s federal election. Youth turnout was only 55 per cent in 2011.

With this in mind, both the KSA and the ABCS have synchronized the launch of this campaign with the upcoming provincial election. ”The goal [of the campaign] is to get as many students as possible to sign the petition to recognize that this is a big issue, and to see the construction of residence housing as being a solution,” says McGowan.

“The provincial government is going to be looking for the student vote,” says Lomelino. “If they want the student vote, then they have to campaign on behalf of students.”t

KPU breaks ground on design school building Project expected to be finished by fall 2017

Tristan Johnston| Coordinating Editor Construction has officially begun on the long-awaited Chip and Shannon Wilson School of Design building.

The building, at Richmond campus, will be 6,000 square metres and constructed with the needs of the design school in mind.

The new building has been in the pipeline for a long time, with the project first announced almost two years ago. The building is still within budget, with $12 million coming from KPU, another $12 million from Chip and Shannon Wilson, as well as $12 million from the provincial government.

According to Alan Davis, president of Kwantlen Polytechnic University, construction plans had gotten themselves sorted out two months ago, though the overall plan had been in motion since late 2012.

“We signed the funding [document] in December 2012, soon after I arrived, and the project went out to bid in 2013, and in the Summer of 2013, bids came back and they were all way high. We thought ‘something’s amiss here,’ but we weren’t sure.”

According to Davis, administration wanted the construction to come

in around $25 million, knowing that the remaining $10 million or so would be spent on architecture and other fees. However, Davis believes that there was a “misread of the market.”

He also notes that “custom features” drove the price up higher than expected.

“Very quickly, we sort of cancelled that bid, retreated, did some negotiation with the lowest bidder, worked closely with the ministry to change the parameters of the project, and it has to be re-approved by the government.

The commitment was always there by us, the Wilsons, Lululemon—who had $4 million—and the government.”

Last year, KPU was suggesting that the new building would be a multi-storey wood frame building, and that it would satisfy a variety of ecological requirements. However, there are now fewer “custom” design elements, like wood framing, and a few more standard ones. Davis suggests that a few of those features might have been set aside for the sake of cost.

“We’ve kept all of the functionality of the building the same, in terms of what the design school needs it to be. The sustainability parameters are still there . . . we want it to be an exemplary building. The Wilsons wanted that too, something that would work

An excavator breaks ground on July 4, 2016 for the Chip and Shannon Wilson School of Design, due for completion at the end of 2017 (KPU/Flickr)

on all those levels. It took a while, because you’re working with government, you have to go through the process, you have to reassure the treasury board that the money you’re putting in is still going to get the job done.”

Ultimately, the building will still be the same price, $36 million. Davis believes that ultimately, no one’s education has been delayed or otherwise hampered by the lack of progress. He

notes that the design program remains one of the strongest programs at KPU. The design school is known for its ruthlessness, and the how difficult it is to be accepted into the program.

It’s also known for a high employment rate amongst new graduates. Given the program’s reputation, some might view the construction of the new building as a smart business move.

“I think the opportunity arose, and

it arose because somebody—before I arrived—saw the opportunity that a lot of our grads were being hired by Lululemon. There are connections between faculty and the industry,” says Davis. “[Chip and Shannon Wilson] are keenly interested in developing the talent that’s in the Vancouver region, because it’s one of the global stars of technical apparel and athletic wear.”

06 News

Liberal MP talks Climate Change Town hall at Tong Louie YMCA hosted by MP facilitates discussion Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer “From a Liberal government’s perspective, we’re about making evidence-based policies. The evidence that we’re seeing is that climate change is here,” says Cloverdale Liberal MP John Aldag. He stands before a room of ten guests, two staff members at his side and a television screen behind him. Before the presentation on it begins, Aldag tells his audience that the evening is “prey informal,” and suggests that they offer their feedback as often as possible.

Throughout the next two hours, the screen displays his talking points and questions posed to the attendees.

There were four of them prepared for the event: What are your thoughts on solutions to reducing greenhouse gases that you would like to see government, businesses, and communities implement? what are your ideas for growing the economy and jobs while reducing emissions? how do we promote innovation and new technologies while reducing greenhouse gas emissions? and what can we, as Canadians, do to adapt to the impacts of climate change that will support affected communities, including Indigenous communities?

The answers he got were surprisingly passionate and thought-out.

Each of the attendees spoke extensively about how to approach climate

change, even though some of them professed to being novices on the subject. Others were extremely wellversed and involved in environmental organizations, and the combination resulted in a free-flowing and educational forum.

Some of the suggestions that the audience made to their government were on the subject of transportation.

Offering larger incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles, making transit more reliable, and developing town centres and light rail lines to make travelling more efficient were all points raised. Aldag looks to Surrey’s fleet of five fully-electric cars and car sharing program as an example of what the rest of the world can aspire to when it comes to green transportation.

The most sensational recommendation made was to shut down the tar sands and pipelines, potentially by cutting incentives and investment in the fossil fuel industry and putting them into clean energy instead. Less dramatic ideas were to pay for pilot projects for clean energy projects, encourage citizens to shop locally instead of supporting international trade, and put more emphasis on events like the town hall through social media and advertisement.

Debate was held over the effectiveness of the carbon tax, with both sides possessing equally rational arguments. One audience member believed that the tax was an ineffective

“punishment to the general public,” and the other cited statistics about its past success and vouched that it decreases vehicle emissions. Questions were asked about where the money from that tax ought to go, whether it be a direct cheque to Canadian citizens or money spent on environmental initiatives.

A self-proclaimed SPCA volunteer testified that education is key to making a difference to global warming, and stated that all children should be taught how to take care of the planet from a very young age.

That demands government funding to

university and high school programs and research, which she believed will make them grow up feeling as if climate change is a moral—and therefore important—issue.

Increasing money spent on the construction of environmentally friendly housing is one unanimous request from the group, Aldag included. Options are explored, with an emphasis on funding solar-powered businesses.

By the time the meeting came to a close, it had lasted for an hour longer than intended. A lack of passion was certainly not a problem at the hall, but

the lack of bodies was disappointing.

So, too, was the fact that there was never a thorough conversation on the effects of climate change on Indigenous communities, which was outlined in the event description.

Notes from the town hall discussion were taken by Aldag’s staff and sent to Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, who will show them to the first ministers. Several other town halls on various subjects will be held across Canada in the future, including one hosted this August by Aldag on electoral reform.

Cloverdale Liberal MP John Aldag talks about climate change during a town hall at Tong Louie YMCA in Surrey B.C. on July 14, 2016 (Alyssa Laube)

Protesters Outside Vancouver School Board Rally Against Budget Cuts, School Closures “Education is our right. Fight, fight, fight!”

Kyrsten Downton| Contributor After dealing with recent funding shortfalls from the Ministry of Education, the Vancouver School Board held a meeting to finalize their new budget on June 30. They ultimately rejected the province’s budget proposal, and as a result, British Columbia’s minister of education ordered an audit of the school board.

A protest rally organized by the BC Student’s Alliance was held outside of the building during the budget deadline meeting. President of the BCSA organization, 17 year-old Dakota McGovern, argues that the voices of students and their families are getting lost in the battle between the Board and province.

“The B.C. government is trying to cut education and the Vancouver School Board is trying to save its system. Both of them claim to be representing students, which is ironic because they haven’t really confronted us about it,” says McGovern.

A protester at the rally, 27-yearold Sophie Raider, says that the lack

Protesters raise a banner during a demonstration in front of the VSB building on June 30, 2016 (Kyrsten Downton)

of funds for education has become aggravating.

“I’m really frustrated with the way the province is treating its schools. There have been cuts and cuts and more cuts. We all know there’s a chronic underfunding of education in British Columbia. We need to stand up and show government that we don’t stand for it,” says Raider.

The VSB announced on June 20 that a preliminary list of 12 schools

are being considered for closure.

However, on the rally’s event page, the BCSA suggests that there could be between 19 and 21 school closures.

Due to the lack of funding, the Board cannot afford all of the updates the listed schools need, and the Ministry won’t step in to help because most of the schools don’t operate at an almost-full capacity.

“Operating at 95 per cent capacity is kind of an insane demand from

the provincial government that has no basis in fact. I would like to see the Ministry acting evidence-based policies instead of pushing school boards into really tight corners,” says Raider.

Almost all of the schools facing possible closures are in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side. McGovern argues that the effect on the community, specifically low-income and indigenous families, would be very significant if they were to close.

“It would make it more difficult for people that have built bonds with each other and have gotten a deep sense of identity to then disperse across various Vancouver schools into fractured communities, because then that sense of identity goes away,” says McGovern.

While the rally was not very large in size, the protesters and the BCSA hope that they were able to build more connections within the community.

“I think that having a place for people who all feel the same to come together and to network can only make the community stronger and benefit the movement,” says Raider.

McGovern also hopes that they sent a strong statement to include students’ voices in the Vancouver education battle, rather than having what he calls a “lopsided system.”

“Ultimately, our goal is to open up the bracket of what is viewed as possible within the government’s working. The only way you can change society is when you have a broad, populous list of options. If not, you have a very narrow direction.”

News 07

What it Means to be Fragrance-Free The little-known sensitivity that KPU is acknowledging Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer In most situations, wearing scented products is considered common courtesy. Many assume that putting on sweet-smelling deodorant, shampoos or perfume will be appreciated by those around them, but the rising popularity of “fragrance-free” events and goods is beginning to dispel that myth.

Technically, there is no unanimous definition of the term “fragrance-free,” but it is most regularly explained as the lack of chemicals or substances intended to mask a natural smell. Because of this loose definition, many products that are marketed as fragrance-free can still trigger reactions in those sensitive to them by withholding trace amounts of fragrances used during production.

Luckily for British Columbians, Canadian companies are mandated to list all of the ingredients—including fragrances—on their products so that their customers can feel confident that their health will not be compromised by using them. Because fragrance-free labeled products can have an odour without being artificially scented, it can be very difficult to discern their authenticity, making that law crucial to their well-being.

“Many who have scent sensitivities can experience a variety of symptoms that may even require hospitalization,” says Kimberley McMartin, Board Organizer for the Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group.

“Many fragrances and scents can trigger allergy and asthma attacks in certain individuals, especially within the 30 per cent of Canadians who already

react to scents without pre-existing lung conditions.”

Some of the common symptoms reported include headaches and migraines, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, anxiety, numbness, upper respiratory symptoms, depression, sinus congestion, skin irradiation and loss of appetite. These reactions act as proof of environmental sensitivity, according to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, making them an official chronic medical condition.

For anyone whose sensitivities might trigger such reactions, attending public events could be potentially dangerous. In fact, McMartin herself reacts to fragrances and believes that her exposure to them has “greatly hindered” her access to events and classes at KPU. The CHRC recommends that

“fragrance-free and chemical avoidance policies” be developed and enforced by institutions, as well as “undertaking educational programs to increase voluntary compliance with such policies, minimizing chemical use and purchasing less toxic products, and notifying employees and clients in advance of construction, re-modelling and cleaning activities.”

With those goals in mind, the university has announced its public support of fragrance-free events and education on what scent sensitivity is.

A “scent awareness” page on its website states that, “In consideration of the difficulties that exposure to scented products can cause, the University encourages faculty, staff, students and visitors to avoid the use of scented personal care products.”

Organizations under the universi-

ty have started to pay attention to the needs of those with scent sensitivities as well. KPIRG and the Students of Colour Collective’s event educating the public about the history and meaning of genocide—Genocide Across Space and Time—is publicly listed as a fragrance-free occasion.

McMartin explains that they “hope to create a more inclusive environment where more people can access the conference,” by asking their participants “to limit their use of such products and be mindful of what they use in such spaces.”

“We hope to be more inclusive in the future by adding this within our accessibility repertoire,” says McMartin. “It is quite easily within our power to make our shared space more inclusive and accessible. Why wouldn’t we?”

(Scott McLelland)

One year later, city cannabis regulations remain a point of contention

Cannabis activists, dispensaries at odds with city over bylaws Joseph Keller| Contributor Nearly a year ago, Vancouver became the first city in Canada to regulate the sale of medical cannabis in dispensaries. A vote from the city council in July last year set in motion a process of developing and enforcing a strict set of bylaws that allow qualifying Vancouver pot shops to operate legally at the municipal level.

One year later, these bylaws have been agreed on by the council and implemented, but not everyone is happy. Strict regulations on location (no closer than 300 meters to schools and community centres) are forcing 90 per cent of the city’s dispensaries to shut down. Unable to meet these regulations, many dispensaries have already closed while others remain open in defiance of the bylaws.

Other points of contention include the council’s decision to ban the sale of edible cannabis products and the use of cannabis on site at dis-

pensaries.

Councilor Kerry Jang, the ‘architect’ behind the regulatory framework, is confident in his set of bylaws as they currently stand. “People realise Vancouver’s policy is that there is a place for marijuana dispensaries in our city,” says Jang “The guys who were complaining were so used to making money without any oversight and all of a sudden they couldn’t!”

Dispensary advocates are calling for a rewrite of the bylaws, arguing that in their current form the regulations are too tight to be considered reasonable. Among them is Dana Larsen, dispensary owner and head of cannabis advocacy group Sensible BC. Larsen suggests that the tightness of the regulations is due to pressure from the Conservative federal government that still held a majority government while the bylaws were being written.

“As a result of that tension they created very restrictive bylaws to try to find a middle ground and placate the federal government,” says Lars-

en. “I think it’s disappointing that city council seems really wedded to these rules that they wrote.”

A Nanos poll commissioned by Sensible BC suggests that Vancouverites largely agree that the bylaws as currently written are too strict. The poll finds that sixty per cent of Vancouverites think that dispensary regulations should not be more restrictive than current liquor store regulations, as Sensible BC argues they currently are.

“Vancouver is ready for a much more open and accessible cannabis system than the city is trying to impose,” says Larsen.

Councillor Jang, however, takes issue with some of the wording of the poll.

“The questions were loaded and slanted in such a way that it was quite ridiculous,” says Jang.

Jang sees little merit in any of the complaints. In fact, the city councilor had some pointed words for cannabis activists unhappy with the new system.

“These guys who wanted to be treated like any other business, and that’s what they told us, all of a sudden are ‘Aw man, I don’t wanna be treated like anybody else because there’s rules and I don’t like them!’” says Jang with a laugh. “Hey, well, too bad. Time to grow up and treat yourself like an actual business.”

Larsen and Jang are not in total disagreement. Both parties understand that legalisation of cannabis is an inevitable force and that these municipal bylaws remain important even as the Federal Liberal government prepares to lay out its own plan for legalisation at a national level.

“Federally we’re on the verge of legalization,” says Larsen, “and what happens in Vancouver and other cities is going to set a templet for what legislation is going to look like.”

“The discussion is not about whether or not people should have access,” says Jang. “That ship has sailed.”

Two Vancouver dispensaries forgo doctor’s note You no longer require a medical reason to buy Joseph Keller| Contributor The end of cannabis prohibition nation-wide is coming to Canada at a snail’s pace, but two Vancouver dispensaries are no longer waiting for the feds’ go ahead. Whether using for medical reasons or just looking to enjoy a lazy afternoon, anyone over 18 can now acquire marihuana at Dana Larsen’s Vancouver Dispensary Society with or without a doctor’s note.

“I still see what we’re doing as a medical cannabis dispensary, a non-prescription medical cannabis dispensary,” says Dana Larsen, who, in addition to co-owning the two Vancouver Dispensary Society locations, heads pro-cannabis advocacy group Sensible BC. Tokers familiar with buying from the black market will find a whole new world stepping into the semi-legitimate pot shops. The West End location operates out of a quaint little house just off of Thurlow and Davie.

Inside, patrons will be ID’d at the front desk only to verify age before being led to the back to see the stores leafy wears.

Surprisingly, Larsen and co. don’t consider the lack of a doctor’s note requirement to be in violation of the city’s bylaws which regulate marijuana dispensaries. The bylaws give no definition of what constitutes a valid prescription, leaving dispensaries to decide for themselves what is valid, often using the opinion of naturopaths.

“Nowhere in any any of those bylaws or rules does it say you must only sell to people who have a doctor’s recommendation or a medical need.”

It remains to be seen if the VPD will see things the same way. Vancouver Dispensary Society’s Hastings location was served notice to shut down in the city’s most recent round of injunctions due to its proximity to a community centre. Larsen remains confident that the Thurow location will receive its business licence. For now at least both locations will remain open to any adult looking for some of the green stuff.

p o t S t i P a U P K Is

ts ch n e d u t s e m o s Why

319 A Better School

(Art by Danielle George)

? l o o h c pS

ound r a k ic t s s r e h t , and o h o o s e t o le a v e

??

When I first arrived at KPU, the prestigiousness of its reputation was not a priority. As an enthusiastic high school graduate, I was too excited to be moving onto my post-secondary career to consider that my school of choice may not be the most reputable one in British Columbia.

Still, it wasn’t long before I got a somewhat disheartening feel for the rest of the student body’s general consensus: KPU is academic limbo, where you spend a bit of time on the cheap before jetting off to somewhere more top-tier.

The first time I remember gathering that impression was while talking to fellow students. When discussing our courses together, they always seemed to mention their plans to transfer to a different institution in the future, as if leaving were their saving grace and being in the classroom with me their Achilles’ heel. Honestly, even I planned to get my Bachelor’s degree at KPU before moving downtown for school, and I definitely was not the only one with those intentions.

From my perspective as a firstyear student, KPU was cheap, close to my home, and small. That’s why I chose to come here, and so far, I have not regretted that choice. There is inarguably something to be said for its advantages; while my friends studying at UBC were completing 5k runs between classes, I was sipping on a Tim Horton’s tea and admiring the Surrey campus’ scenery. While they were slugging through rush hour traffic from the Lower Mainland to downtown Vancouver, I was spending thirty minutes reading the news on a spacious suburban bus. And while they were panicking because they couldn’t get in touch with their professor in time to hand in an assignment, I was getting coffee with mine to consult weeks before my projects were due.

This raises the question: Why do so many people want to leave KPU? Although many of its students talk about making the great escape to another school, I have never been jealous of the hectic and overstimulated environment at city-sized universities. So what are we doing wrong here at Kwantlen Polytechnic University—if anything—and are people really as desperate to leave as they seem to be?

Bailey Wyka, a second-year general studies student, says that although no one is to blame for it, “KPU is definitely considered a pit stop school.”

“It’s because of the fact that it used to be specifically a trades college. It’s not recognized by the ma-

AlyssaByLa jority of people as a high-standard university like SFU and UBC,” she says. “People believe that, to be a true graduate of university, they need to pay [a large sum of money] to go to these schools, but KPU has the same courses with the same level of difficulty except in smaller classrooms.”

She adds that everyone ought to be proud of attending KPU, although she expects to transfer to the University of Calgary to study veterinary medicine within the next two years.

KPU Journalism major Ashley Hyshka only considers the university a pit-stop school “in some regards,” disclosing that many of her peers “are either attending or plan to attend KPU to earn some of their basic credits before transferring to either UBC or SFU.” Hyshka goes on to say that because KPU is a young university and one of the only polytechnic schools in the country, its reputation suffers, but she isn’t phased by the stigma.

“We haven’t had enough time to establish ourselves yet,” she says. “To me, it’s all about who has the most compelling program and whose professors can prepare me for this world.

Whether you’re a student or KPU itself, we all have to start somewhere.”

On a more radical end of the spectrum is KPU Provost & Vice President Academic Salvador Ferreras, who attests that it is “absolutely not” a pit-stop. Rather, transferring between educational institutions is common in Canada as a country. The amount of students transferring out of KPU has actually declined since 2011, when 9 per cent of the student body left for another institution, although how many returned to it is unknown.

“Does KPU have a lot more transfer students than everybody else? No, actually. That’s the norm,” he says. “Ever since the 1990’s, the entire post-secondary education system in North America and in Europe has been guided by a move towards student mobilization. British Columbia has the most advanced transfer system in the country.”

Five years ago, there were more than 13,000 students enrolled at more than one institution, according to Ferreras, and it has become common for them to “cluster degrees.”

“They’re going and putting them together like you would go and purchase a number of services. They have access to a lot of information because of the ease of working within the BC transfer system,” he explains.

“They’ll have some core training at KPU, take a few specialized courses at Douglas or UVIC, and then take

ube

a few other courses from UBC and complete their capstone back at KPU. It’s a very common happening.”

In a study conducted by The British Columbia Council on Admissions & Transfer in 2013, it was concluded that university students were transferring to colleges at the same rate that college students moved to universities. By flitting from place-to-place, they acquire a mixture of academic and hands-on skills in various environments, enabling them to thrive in the 21st century’s competitive job market.

Ferreras cites the survey as proof that a lack of student retention isn’t necessarily a fault of KPU’s, but a standard across the board of academic institutions.

“Students from UBC, SFU, and UVIC, with full degrees in everything from graphic design, fine arts, and engineering were then moving to places like Auckland or BCIT or VCC to get more work-ready skills and industry experience that they don’t get in those academic programs.”

Ferreras also attributes students’ short stays at the school to KPU’s unique but sometimes limited course selection. Because it doesn’t offer degrees beyond a Bachelor level, it makes sense that students leave to further their education. That was even truer when it was a polytechnic school that didn’t offer degrees at all.

However, its niche programs such as those for beekeeping and equine foot care might draw scholars in. Where else can you learn to brew beer and sell marijuana in a scholastic setting?

And yet, there’s still an obvious lack of student morale at KPU. The transfers out must partially be due to its limited course selection and the transfer-friendly environment in BC, but the only other reasonable conclusion is that the university hasn’t been around long enough to bring UBC-level honour to its name.

Fortunately, KSA Vice-president student life Natasha Lopes believes that students’ perception of the university is changing, based on her observations of the increasing growth of clubs and number of graduates.

“KPU was a ‘pit stop school’ because, at one point in its life time, students needed to transfer to other institutions to attain degrees. But now that KPU has changed into a degree giving school, students are choosing to stay.”

“This is highly indicative of the changes that students are feeling towards KPU and the education that they receive,” she resolves.

10 Features

The Long Shadow of the CFS

The Canadian Federation of Students has been rubbing its members wrong for years Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer There’s some bad blood between the Canadian Federation of Students and several of their members, KPU included.

The two organizations have been to court a couple of times before— once in 2009 and again in 2015—so it isn’t surprising that tensions remain high. During the first case, the KSA went after CFS-BC for refusing to accept their choice of representative on the CFS-BC executive, ex-KSA Director of External Affairs Derek Robertson, who had a history of campaigning against the Federation.

While that case brought a victory for the Association, the second did not end in their favour. The KSA lost their 2015 case against the CFS, which argued that the Association’s membership in the Federation was made invalid after a bylaw amendment which stripped individual students of their status as members.

The wound from that loss is still fresh, and yet KSA executives continue to attend the CFS’ meetings every year. So, too, do representatives from other institutions that have had a bone to pick with them in the past.

On their website, the Federation states that “over 650,000 students from more than 80 college, undergraduate and graduate students’ unions across Canada belong to the [them],” and based on reports from multiple representatives of local students’ unions, “belong” is the perfect term to employ. Feeling like property is a common complaint made by student union reps from all over the country. One only has to look to the internet to get an idea of how those grievances were handled.

Some of the first results of a Google search for “The CFS” are directions on how to leave the Federation, why a University of Toronto student “knew they were trouble”, and information about their many membership disputes, some of which eventually led to contentious lawsuits. Long story short, when people started voicing their displeasure with the CFS, they made it clear that the little guys were barking up the wrong tree. That conflict is still raging on today.

For that reason, when KSA President Alex McGowan made the trip to their National conference in Quebec earlier this year, he arrived with caution. After one of his fellow union delegates told him about being “followed” by members of the CFS— with them even claiming that the Federation planted some of its members in hotel rooms—McGowan also came prepared for some uneasiness.

A few weeks later, McGowan sits in the sunshine outside of Grassroots Cafe, ready to report on his findings.

Clasping his hands on the warm metal table before him, he professes that

he wasn’t spied on at the conference as others had claimed to be. At least not in such an obvious way.

“I didn’t have any experience of being followed or feeling like they were keeping tabs on me too much, but for three nights of the conference, I met up with a group of people that were from various other student associations that weren’t necessarily happy with the CFS,” he says. “Every single night, a member of the national executive of the CFS—so your CFS-loyal people—would manage to find where our group was hanging out, which hotel room we were in, and they joined our party to either eavesdrop or prevent us from conspiring, not that we were.”

Although that’s as ominous as their interactions got, he also describes the feeling at the conference as “really weird” and “very exclusive”, and he isn’t the only delegate to feel that way.

President of the University of Toronto’s Students’ Union, Jasmine Wong Denike, says that “it’s very clear which schools are CFS favourites and which ones are not.” Wong Denike has attended seven of the Federation’s events has says that environment of these events have only become more hostile over time.

“There are certain schools that hang out together, that are of the same mindset of not being necessarily the favourites [of the CFS], and those are the schools where you see a lot of [the Federation’s] staff members coming into those spaces to prevent those conversations from happening,” she says. She says she thinks “They’re there to make sure we don’t talk about certain things. Generally, in the plenary room we have people keeping an eye on us.”

McGowan feels that “there wasn’t much of an attempt to bring people in, and it felt very cliquey.”

Adam Pawlak, The University of Manitoba Students’ Union’s Vice President Internal only validates that suggestion.

“We entered into the conference with very open arms, but I would say very strongly that we did not receive the same type of feedback,” he sighs.

“The environment wasn’t as inclusive as they had maybe preached it to be, especially for people that have different critical thoughts or processes or values.”

What’s more, Pawlak also recalls an instance where two of his union’s executives were “confronted in a very disrespectful way,” at a CFS con-

ference, when they “went out for a drink of water and were followed out by a [member of a] local” who they felt pressured them to “participate and pay their fees.”

“It really was not friendly, but really hostile, and that’s not how you make amends. That’s not how you build bridges. That’s not how you reap partnerships.”

Whether or not the CFS is interested in making amends with their less amicable members is up for debate. As an organization, they explicitly preach anti-oppression and acceptance, which implies that empathy and equality should be their utmost concerns. The Federation hosts workshops at their events for that very reason, and it runs several campaigns under the name of progressiveness and human rights. In fact, they focus on social justice so much that McGowan feels that it may act as “a bit of a distraction” from what the everyday student wants - for instance, diminishing student debt, an initiative that Pawlak would personally like to see pursued.

As a student, it’s surprising that the Federation does not appear to be listening to their requests, considering how much money they accept from the people these delegates represent. Denike estimates that the University of Toronto’s student body gave just under $800,000 a year to the CFS - $7.77 per student for two semesters annually - for its provincial, national and services components in 2015. McGowan reveals that “KPU students pay over $200,000 every year” to them for the same components, and Pawlak claims that an approximate $300,000 is contributed by the University of Manitoba’s students for the three fields as well.

That’s a lot of dough to give to an organization that is perceived as ostracizing the elected representatives of those student bodies, and the entire trio agrees that they are not seeing it put to use in a way that they consider fair or worthwhile.

Personally, Denike “feels like the money the students are spending would be better spent in their

pockets,” due to what she sees as the CFS’ lack of tangible change, consultation, and effective lobbying. As an example of the latter, she references an anecdote from the most recent CFS conference, when “they invited an MP to speak and sort of yelled him out of the room.”

That instance occurred during the conference’s lobbying session with Peter Schiefke, Liberal MP for Vaudreuil-Soulanges and parliamentary secondary to Justin Trudeau. After an audience member brought attention to the unkept promises by his government to completely fulfill the terms in the Post-Secondary Student Support Program, which largely supports indigenous students, the crowd started chanting ‘Shame!’ before urging him to sign a petition mandating that the Liberals follow through on the PSSSP expectations they failed to live up to, according to Wong Denike and McGowan. Of course, Schiefke couldn’t sign the petition, and he left to as the mob boo’d and shamed him away.

“It was definitely depressing to see that that’s what our students’ money is going towards,” says McGowan. “What’s really indicative of an organization is how they treat disagreement, and consistently they shut down any debate or discussion with tactics like identity politics and remarks like anyone who disagrees with them isn’t progressive.”

The fact that many students don’t even know about the existence of the CFS—let alone how much money they pay to them every year—acts as a testament to their similar lack of communication with those they claim to serve, and recognizing that the individuals who represent those student bodies feel restricted and ostracized by the Federation only adds insult to injury. Then consider the cherry on top; it’s extremely difficult for a local student union to leave the CFS, due to the stringent legal requirements of its bylaws. That means that dissatisfied members such as KPU, U of T, and U of M feel like they are trapped in an ever-growing money pit by a group that doesn’t seem to consider their concerns.

Their frustration is understandable, but there’s still light at the end of the tunnel. While both McGowan and Denike seem inclined to sever ties with the Federation, that’s only true if they refuse to change their ways, and Pawlak offers a hopeful perspective based on teamwork rather than forfeiture.

“Collaboration and cooperation is how we move forward together,” he says. “If that is refused, then we have to take a hard look as an organization at what is best, really ask our students, and show them the facts.”

The Canadian Federation of Students could not be reached for an interview to comment.

(Danielle George)

Culture 11

Life in KPIRGatory Public Interest Research Group searchs for a permanent home Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer After three years of sharing a space with the Kwantlen Pride Collective, KPIRG has become officially homeless.

The group’s exodus began in early July, when Kwantlen Polytechnic University started renovating the Birch building on the Surrey campus.

However, unlike their roommates at Pride, KPIRG was not given a private work space to operate out of during the renovations.

In response, they have decided to rent out classrooms, use the Sociology pod when possible, and spend their Wednesdays petitioning for a long-term space in the courtyard, just minutes away from the room they once called home.

“Since we were founded in 2013, we haven’t really had a good, permanent space as a base for volunteers and students to come by with their ideas, for those that are interested in grants and the other services and workshops and things that we provide,” says Lincey Amora, KPIRG Director of Campus Life.

Amora also claims that KPIRG would be open to paying rent for a long-term space on-campus, which makes sense, considering the size of their budget. In 2015, the research group had $44,556 excess of revenue after paying for advertising, capital assets, directors’ compensation,

KPIRG administrator Richard Hosein sits at his temporary office for the day on July 21. KPIRG worked in a Fir building classroom in Surrey throughout July due to renovations in Birch, the location of their other office (Kier-Christer Junos)

events, insurance, interest and bank charges, office and professional expenses, salaries and benefits, phone bills, travel and parking.

The organization’s Administrative & Resource Coordinator, Richard Hosein, affirms that the group has been working towards getting their own space since day one, but after “getting a little bit of runaround from the university,” they decided to lobby the KSA exclusively. In preparation for the Birch renovations, KPIRG submitted what Hosein calls “a comprehensive space proposal document” to the student association, but received no office in the final building plans.

“We’ve been getting promises from the KSA on getting space; nothing legally binding, as far as I

know, but mostly verbal confirmation that we’d be getting it when Birch is renovated,” he says. “We were under the impression that we were getting space when, in fact, the reality is that we’re not.”

KSA President Alex McGowan challenges that notion, saying that KPIRG “have yet to reach out to us to talk about their space needs,” other than submitting their space proposal during the consultation period.

He also explains why Pride Kwantlen was given space in the new plans for Birch, but KPIRG was not.

“Ultimately, the decision that was made is that KPIRG is an autonomous society; they collect their own fees, and clubs don’t collect their own fees.

Our constituency groups don’t have their own money to spend, whereas

KPIRG does. Of all the groups that we’re trying to find space for, KPIRG is the most able to find space for itself elsewhere.”

He mentions the “short period of time” that the Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society—the organization that publishes The Runner—spent with their work space off-campus as an acceptable possibility for KPIRG. Since the Birch plans were released, the research group has pinned posters with the phrase #PIRGatory printed on them all over the campus, as an attempt to raise awareness for their cause. The desired outcome of the posters is to drive traffic to the signing of their petition—available in the Surrey courtyard Wednesdays and online at kpirg.ca—calling on KPU to “provide KPIRG with a space to serve its 20,000 students.”

Hosein describes the measures they’re currently taking as “just part of the bigger scheme of things,” and discloses that KPIRG plans to “be actively lobbying the university’s administration” sometime in the near future. He claims that the society is determined to get the space that they feel is “respectable and dignified,” and their primary reason for that dedication is security.

“We have paid staff members, we have legal documents, financial documents, that need to be under lock and key just like any other organization.

Any other business or nonprofit out there has safe, lockable, secure space

for its confidential and operational documents. We’re simply asking for the same,” he explains.

Currently KPIRG’s legal and financial documents are sitting in his basement—a fact which he believes keeps KPIRG from completely fulfilling their mandate.

“It comes down to accountability with students’ money. Really, we have a mandate that’s specific. We’re unable to fulfill it because we just don’t have the space.”

Part of their responsibility is giving students access to the resources that they pay for, but because they don’t currently have a place to put those resources—such as a library full of “books, magazines, other types of media”—they live in a storage locker.

McGowan believes that, in order to resolve the conflict, “it’s important that KPIRG comes to the table and meets with [The KSA about] their needs.”

“We know that KPU has asked us to be the point of contact when it comes to talks between KPIRG and KPU, and for us to have those conversations, we need KPIRG to come to us, otherwise we won’t be in a position to represent their issues.”

Until they are situated in a permanent home, KPIRG plans to continue petitioning every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until 3:50 p.m. in the Surrey courtyard.

Music Student Wins First Prize in Provincial Competition Louise Cazander heads to National Competition for original composition Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer Louise Cazander, music student at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, was born into a family of creatives.

She shared a passion for piano with all of her siblings while growing up, but it wasn’t until later in her life that she began to take playing seriously.

“I’ve been involved with music since I was a child, but just on my own. I played by ear, took a little bit of band in high school, and once I was married I started taking piano lessons,” says Cazander. “I wanted to take lessons from a teacher at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and I ended up actually applying there and enrolling.”

So began her journey towards earning a diploma of music, which she is now two courses away from completing. Taught by instructor Dr. Meijane Quong, Cazander describes her experience at the university as one full of growth and professional training. Such a classic atmosphere sharply contrasts the one she was raised in, which was based solely on the composer’s trademark selftaught, spontaneous songwriting.

“I think Dr. Quong has really pushed me to compose. I had done it on my own, and I would bring her my compositions and play them for her,” Cazander explains. “She really was the one that said, ‘You really need to continue this.’ She’s been very supportive in giving me confidence.”

Although she feels that her skills in music theory and playing in ensembles have improved while attending KPU, Cazander still sticks to her roots of composing at the piano. That is how she wrote “Piano Prelude #2, Mimicking Minions”, the song that won her first place at the B.C. Registered Music Teachers Association’s Music Writing Competition in Division D this year.

“I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll write something that’s kind of fun, that will relate to younger students.’ It just kind of evolved on its own,” she says.

“I think Minions are fun and I think they’re also funny and I could just picture them while I was playing that. I thought that would really be something that Minions would do— follow each other around, mimicking each other. It just popped into my head.”

The success of that playful, me-

KPU music student Louise Cazander took first place at the 2016 B.C. Registered Music Teachers Association’s Music Writing Competition for her piece, “Piano Prelude #2, Mimicking Minions”. (Courtesy of Louise Cazander)

lodic tune came as a shock to Cazander, who “didn’t think that [she] would come in first place at all.” It wasn’t the victory that drew her to the contest, but rather the opportunity for a valuable learning experience.

She elaborates, “I just wanted to get [a] critique on it because I’m not being taught composition, so I want-

ed to send it in and see if I’m on the right track.”

2016 wasn’t the first year that Cazander partook in the BCRMTA competition. In 2014 she received an honourable mention for her composition, which she believes “set the stage for trying again.”

Fortunately for her, that effort has

paid off and then some. Cazander is on her way to compete in the Association’s national competition, alongside musicians who she personally considers “more experienced” than herself. That modesty is typical of KPU students, but Cazander deserves more credit for her excellence.

If she were to choose, she would say that her most commendable strength is that she “doesn’t compose in a mould.”

“Sometimes, when you start composing, you follow the guidelines of how to compose. For me, I find that very difficult because I don’t understand that way of composing. I only understand that an idea comes to me—an inspiration.”

“I’m just kind of doing my own thing, and I realize that sometimes that’s hit and miss because I’m probably doing many things wrong, but I’m hoping to learn as I go along because I do love composing.”

Cazander says that she is “really curious” to hear the feedback on her piece at the national competition and hopes to become “more well-rounded” as a musician through the experience.

12 Opinions

The Too-Dirty Secrets of KPU Confessions The group ought to start keeping objectionable posts to themselves Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer “Send your funny, embarrassing or even darkest confessions and they will be posted anonymously,” promises KPU Confessions, a Facebook group dedicated to creating a safe space for students to speak their minds and spill their beans.

Scroll down the page and you’ll find a handful of funny anecdotes and a smidgen of embarrassing mishaps, but a shocking amount of the content errs on the side of darkness and bigotry. One confessor complains about “99% of canadian born Indians” and a similar one gripes about “all the spoiled, rude, and entitled brown kids” on the KPU campuses.

Another calls the people of Fort McMurray “under-skilled and overpaid” before expressing his complete lack of empathy for those harmed by the recent wildfires, and a separate post explains the definition of a feminist as “girls that don’t swallow.”

Still others fetishize and stereotype bisexual women, female doctors, and “female virgins.” Some bash modern feminism and suggest that women “hold the idea of a man as their ideal goal,” and complain about having to “sit next to the fat chick” in classes. There seem to be

(Tasma

n Brew

far too many rude and unsettling sexual posts about women in particular, specifically from the perspective of embarrassingly prideful, self-identified men.

“I use the moodle participants option to stalk all the hot girls on fb. #creepstatus,” writes an actual, real life creep.

“Unfortunate Fact: Approaching Woman as an Average Male is ‘Creepy’ And pretty much looked down upon, and pointless,” sniffs a fully-grown man child.

“Ugly women want a husband apparently. The problem is, [a woman who tried to talk to me] is so ugly that I am resisting to lie to her that I

ster)

am gay (I am actually not),” types an unidentifiable lout.

On posts like this, there are usually comments offering criticism by more compassionate readers. The people reading these so-called confessions don’t like seeing them either, perhaps because they are are more aggressive rants than anything else.

There is no point to publishing such hateful remarks. Most readers won’t waste their time on them, and those who do will either be offended and potentially scared or given a reason to spread their own personal bigotry. Recall Donald Trump and the mayhem he incites so easily by spewing blind antagonism. That’s possible in every environment, even a local Facebook group, and it’s KPU Confessions’ responsibility to screen out unnecessary and upsetting submissions.

The organizers of KPU Confessions appear to take pride in their policy of anonymity, and that’s fine.

But namelessness is meant to keep people safe and comfortable, not to give chauvinistic and discriminatory students a place to hide from the repercussions of their immorality.

Refusing to post “confessions” that make toxic allegations about entire groups of people means refusing to give a platform to intolerance and inequity. As a student, I like to think that we stand behind those ideals at KPU. Unfortunately, KPU Confessions did not respond to multiple interview requests.

Think Globally, Shop Locally Environmental protection technology chair explains how to combat climate change Melissa Pomerleau “There’s a lot of stuff we can do better, but we have to do it together,” says Dr. Paul Richard, the Environmental Protection Technology Chair at Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Aside from the obvious recommendations—turn off your electronics when they aren’t in use, walk more than you drive, and remember to always recycle—Richard suggests limiting your beef intake and being more informed and vocal about global warming.

“Industrial produced beef has an enormous impact on the environment and climate,” says Richard.

One of the most manageable ways to do your part is to reconsider how much meat and dairy you consume. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), livestock account for approximately 18 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change.

Cattle burp a ton of methane gas, but by decreasing your own beef intake and encouraging others to do the same, the demand will drop. Over time, less bovine flatulence will be released into the atmosphere.

That’s not to say that meat and

dairy are bad for you. It’s the production process that destroys the Earth.

When you do buy meat or dairy, make sure to opt for buying local, organic, farm fresh, grass fed varieties.

“You’ll always have certain staples you buy, but have special items like meat that you buy better,” suggests Richard.

It may be more expensive, but you’ll be supporting your local community in addition to helping slow down a climate catastrophe.

If you can’t imagine a life without bacon, try to challenge yourself to at least one meat-free day per week.

There are plenty of vegetables and herbs to help flavour and spice up your dishes.

Other manageable ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions include cleaning out your car and driving at the speed limit. Aside from abiding by the law, driving at the speed limit actually reduces the amount of fuel you use, effectively reducing your CO2 contribution.

While advertising doesn’t directly contribute to global warming, the sway it has over us is huge. It is entirely possible to live a more meaningful life with fewer possessions.

Try to shop less, but shop more meaningfully. Instead of larger chains, like Starbucks, try a local,

smaller company. A handmade item from a farmers’ market or craft fair can be a far more beautiful and meaningful gift than something mass-produced from a department store.

All these changes are great habits to get into when considering the well-being of our planet, but as Richard puts it, “There’s always a limit to what an individual can do. We can only solve this collectively.”

Perhaps the best thing anyone could do for the cause is to get involved and be vocal about the prob-

lem at hand.

Richard suggests working with organizations already dedicated to the cause, such as Greenpeace Canada. Volunteering a few hours per month looks great on a resume, and it can feel incredibly empowering to know that you’re helping to support a good cause.

Call your local MP and be persistent. “Convince politicians to do something that has a positive effect on the environment,” says Richard.

Individually it is nearly impos-

(Nat Mussell)

sible to avoid the problems we face from climate change. However, by electing leaders who care about the environment, we can collectively make a difference. With government funding, we can cut down the amount of emissions from our waste, create more local jobs, and boost our economy.

Be an advocate and set an example. Focus on having your voice heard while you shift into living a more sustainable, meaningful, and environmentally conscious lifestyle.

Opinions 13

Are we going too easy on Trudeau’s Liberals?

We overwhelmingly approve of the new government, but are we overlooking its flaws?

Joseph Keller| Contributor

Justin Trudeau’s federal Liberal government is now well into its first year in power, and if recent data is to be believed, Canada’s love affair with its dreamy-eyed PM is still going strong.

Polls from Forum Research over the last few months have consistently found that if the election were held now the Liberals would gain an even larger majority than the one it gained in October, with the lead steadily increasing.

Is this approval truly deserved, or are poll respondents just that happy to be rid of the last guy? Let’s take

a critical look at the new PM so far.

Trudeaumeter.ca serves as a handy guide and a good starting point for keeping track of our new government. The site lists all 219 of Justin’s campaign promises and keeps tabs on their progress. So far 63 commitments are currently in progress, 32 have been made good on, and 18 have been broken. That leaves 106 still waiting in limbo. Not terrible for a government only two thirds into its first year.

Some highlights from the completed list include restoring government scientists’ ability to speak freely

to the public about their findings and ending Canadian airstrikes in Syria and Iraq. Some ugly truths from the broken promises column include pledges to phase out subsidiaries for the fossil fuel industry, running small deficits over the next two years (they’ll be much larger than planned), and a promised $300 million investment in youth employment.

Specifically for us students, Trudeau has made good on his promise to increase the Canada Student Grant for low income full-time students to a maximum $3,000 per year.

Unfortunately, the commitment of $40 million per year to create co-op opportunities for students has been broken.

Beyond the scope of kept and broken promises there are a few particular sticking points where this government has disappointed.

Bill C-51, which vastly expands government surveillance powers, is perhaps the worst part of Stephen Harper’s legacy. Trudeau’s position on the extremely controversial bill has been troubling since before the election even began. As Liberal leader, Trudeau voted in favor of the Orwellian legislation with promises to amend it once in office. So far the PM has been disturbingly quiet on plans for amendments, and many of us would much rather the laws be repealed altogether.

Also concerning is that all indications seem to point to the government signing the Trans Pacific Partnership, a controversial international trade deal. The TPP has dangerous implications for Canadian sovereignty as the deal subordinates Canadian laws to international corporate interests.

The Liberals also intend to follow

through on a much publicised deal to sell arms to Saudi Arabia. Though the deal was committed to by the previous government, and backing out now would have consequences, putting weapons into the hands of a state with as bloody a track record as Saudi Arabia is simply immoral and irresponsible.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy with the progress this new regime has made over its short time in office. The contrast in tone and direction from the last decade of Harper’s Conservatives has been refreshing as can be, and if another election were held today I’d be one of numerous Canadians voting Trudeau. This is all the more reason to keep a critical eye to make sure this government’s direction stays positive in the years to come.

In All Our Songs Command What our anthem lacks in common appeal speaks to our confused national identity Neil Bassan When a bill which changes the lyrics to “O Canada” from “in all thy sons command” to “in all of us command” comes into effect later this fall, we Canadians will solidify our national identity as a citizenry obsessed with not hurting anyone’s feelings. At no time in history have changes to our national anthem been more necessary.

But it’s not minor changes that are necessary—I’m talking about sweeping reform.

It’s high time we made wholesale revisions to our expression of national identity. Why arbitrarily limit ourselves to gender inclusivity? If we’re on the slippery slope of political correctness, why not be even more inclusive with the revisions?

Our anthem is arguably anti-Semitic, for instance, as it makes no effort to mention the well-documented plight of Jews, no? And how about polytheists, who worship multiple deities, or atheist for that matter, who worship none? Surely these groups find no consolation in the appeal, “God keep our land glorious and free!”

Given that Robert Stanley Weir’s original 1908 English version of the

lyrics had zero religious connotations, perhaps a move toward a more secular anthem—one not subject to religious rule and sensibilities—would be best.

If you remain unconvinced that changes to our national identity are needed, then consider how a new anthem would reinvigorate Canadian nationalism. What we need is a more of a mantra than an anthem. We need a contemporary chant that is elegant, yet aggressive—something progressive, yet evocative of our rich history and collective spirit. We need a striking melody that allows us to proudly stand on our own merit and not have to continually look around for acceptance.

Whether such a piece of music even exists is not the point; let us first accept the gravity of our problem. If we replace our existing anthem with something fresh, we would drastically shift not only the collective global perception of Canadians, but also our perception of the rest of the world.

Sam Roberts’ “The Canadian Dream”, though perhaps politically problematic, is provocative in an understated way. Though it wouldn’t cut it as a true anthem in any meaningful sense, Roberts’ song is an attempt to illuminate the numinous quality of

(Nat M

ussell)

our nation through its methodical and relaxed rhythm. The melody stays with listeners long after the lyrics subside. Gone are any outdated mentions of the supernatural—instead the music does the heavy lifting.

At the very least, beginning every school assembly and hockey game with an ode to socialism would be hilarious.

Alternatively, and as The Walrus columnist Stephen Marche suggests, many more traditional replacements

remain viable. The “Hockey Night in Canada” original theme song, for instance, is an obvious choice. Even though it contains no lyrics, it is “a song that everyone in Canada already knows,” as said by Marche.

Brian Adams, Neil Young, The Tragically Hip, and The Guess Who, among other famed Canadian acts, provide an inexhaustible list of further, more obvious choices, too.

However, going further back in time to conclude our search for a

different anthem may prove to be rewarding. In Marche’s estimation, a slightly revised version of “The Maple Leaf Forever”, Canada’s “unofficial anthem up until the 30’s”, would rid us of the problematic portions of our current anthem while preserving parts of our heritage worth showing off.

On the other hand, if self-awareness is of no concern, there’s always Nickelback.

14 Columns

Going Global

What does a coup d’état mean for Turkey’s geopolitical situation?

Tristan Johnston| Coordinating Editor Editors note: The situation in Turkey is rapidly changing, and as a result, this article will surely be out of date by print time.

Two weeks ago, a portion of Turkey’s military attempted to assert control over the country. While there are many longform articles to be written about the inner-workings and historical repetitiveness of the putsch, how does this impact the country’s global position, especially when they’re seen as a key ally in the war against terror?

In the early hours between the 15th and 16th of July, a faction of the Turkish military attempted to take control of the civilian government. Though it’s still unclear what the actual motives are, the coup wasn’t a success, and in some ways the current, democratically-elected president, Tayyip Recep Erdogan, who was already increasingly autocratic, now has carte blanche to impose more censorship and centralize power.

This is not the first time that Turkey has had an attempted military coup. There have actually been several, with four taking place between 1960 and 1997. Unlike other coun-

tries, the military has seen itself the guardians of democracy, intervening when they believe the government is moving away from secularism. It should be noted for context that Erdogan has made a point of declawing the Turkish military via legal court battles, bringing it under legal control of the government, like most democracies.

One of the biggest ripples stemming from the splash of the coup is the relationship with the United States. Erdogan and his party, the AKP (Justice and Development Party) is accusing the United States of organizing the coup, citing the fact that Fethullah Gülen is living a self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania.

Gülen being a former political ally of Erdogan, both of whom had a falling out in 2013.

Of course, the United States has denied this, as the accusation is utterly baseless. Yes, it’s not unusual of the Americans to engineer coups (see: CIA activity in South America between 1950 and 1975), but there’s no evidence to speak of in this case.

Furthermore, John Kerry, the current U.S. Secretary of State, has emphasized that exploiting the coup to crack down on government critics and enemies could jeopardize their relationship with NATO. America would get nothing out of a coup in Turkey, as

the Americans would prefer the region be stable, and able and willing to host NATO bases.

Speaking of which, Turkey has actually suspended the use of the European Convention of Human Rights, which has brought their already-low chances of gaining EU membership to zero. In order to join the EU, countries must have a functioning economy, a stable democracy, protection of minority groups, and respect for human rights, among other things. A shame, considering Turkey had taken in over a million Syrian refugees, partially to take pressure off of Europe.

It should be said here that Turkey recently formalized its relationship with Russia in late June, this came after Turkey apologized for the downing of a Russian fighter jet in 2015, to which Russia responded with economic sanctions that damaged Turkey’s economy. It has also been reported, according to The Moscow Times, that Russia warned the Turkish government about the coup before it took place.

When you begin to have a problematic relationship with the Europeans and the Americans, you can sometimes turn to Russia. As they

say, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” This is a weird move if you think about it for too long, given that Russia has given support to Democratic Union Party (PYD), which is thought by some in Turkey to be linked to the PKK (Kurdish Workers Party) whom have been stressing Turkish internal security.

Furthermore, with Russian influence growing in the area, and Erdogan and Putin both with the potential of an autocratic bromance, a Turkish pivot to Russia, away from the West, seems like something to watch for.

Istanbul Ankara

Nato Bases PKK ISIL

(Danielle George)

Artist Spotlight: The Basement Sweets

Four youngsters talk about the importance of musical diversity Alyssa Laube| Staff Writer On the night of The Basement Sweet’s first show with new guitarist Ben Kjernsted, they gathered around a table to discuss their music over Vietnamese food. In a few hours, the four-piece will be on stage to play an eclectic set of blues, jazz, and psychedelic rock music at Studio Records on Granville—but right now, they’re relaxing. Steaming bowls of pho and plates of bean sprouts arrive in front of them as the members reflect on the style of their band, collectively agreeing that they generally don’t have one.

Instead, The Basement Sweets are a musical mashup of radically different influences, ranging from folky acts such as Dallas Green and neo-psychedelia icons like Kevin Parker to “all the greats”—Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Ginger Baker, and John Paul Jones, for example. On stage, the four-piece might start with an experimental rock song before launching into jazzy chord progressions or blues-inspired vocal melodies. Off stage, their music is just as diverse, but not yet available for listening.

Once, they had a self-titled EP on their Bandcamp page, but it’s now long gone. The lack of official music

released by The Basement Sweets can be explained by the “poor production quality” of their first EP; like most young bands, their first recording was done in a basement—fitting for the name of the group, but not their goals—so they got rid of it.

That doesn’t mean they don’t have music to play. As a matter of fact, guitarist, vocalist, and writer Noah Poirier has so much material prepared that the band has their next five records planned out, and two are already in the process of being recorded.

“We’ll be releasing two EPs. Then we have a psych rock blues album, we have an acoustic album set up, and I’m halfway through writing a groovy, jazzy album,” says Poirier.

“The difference between the [self-titled] EP that we had and where we are now, how we play, and how we’ve grown as a band with our live performances is a massive leap.”

That leap marks a progression in Poirier’s songwriting, the group’s chemistry, and their ability as musicians.

Their first official releases will be titled Acts of Self-Sabotage: Part I and Part II, with the first part being “more upbeat,” than the blues and jazz-driven second. As predicted by the band, the pair of EPs will be available within the next year.

Until then, the Basement Sweets

(Left to right) Mason Tuffin (Bass/ Piano/ Vocals), Ben Kjernsted (Guitar), Noah Poirier (Guitar/ Vocals) pose for a band photo (Courtesy of THE BASEMENT SWEETS/Mariah Munro)

will continue to play shows around Vancouver. Branching out to tour other cities and countries isn’t in their immediate future, since drummer Kylar Scott and Poirier haven’t even graduated high school yet, but it is an eventual goal for the band.

And because they’re so young, having fun is still a top priority for Scott, Poirier, and the remaining two members: bassist, vocalist, and pianist Mason Tuffin and guitarist Ben Kjernsted.

“We just love what we do so

much,” says Tuffin. “We’re serious about it, of course. It’s our lives, but you have to have a good time. If you’re not, why even play anyway?”

Kjernsted nods, adding that the interpersonal relationship between each band member plays a huge role in what makes their music work.

Maybe they get along so well because they share the same mentality, described by Tuffin when he points out that, musically, “You don’t know if something works until you do it.”

That’s certainly why their sound dif-

fers so much from track-to-track; The Basement Sweets refuse to “sit on one style forever.”

“I think what defines a good musician is how many things you can play. Like, if we’re playing acoustic and we’re playing psych and blues rock, that’s just going to make us better in different respects, and that’s what we want,” says Poirier. “We just want to be better. That’s what we strive to do.”

Procrastination 15

Show us your story #runnermag Your picture could be selected as our featured photo!

Sudoku SUDOKU

Horoscopes

No. 152

Medium

4

5

Previous solution - Easy

Sagittarius Capricorn 1 323 -6Dec421 5 8 2 7 9 Dec. 22 - Jan 20 Nov.

9 6

2 s something 8 4 so1purely7blissful 9 about 5 6 There’ knowing that a thing you love is considered 9 7 5 6 2 3 1 cool.

4 This week, do your best not to rob someone of 3 1 2 7 9 4 8 5 that feeling.

3 High school crushes still pop-a-wheelie inside 8 your heart.

6 8 4 7 5 3 6 9 2 1 6 5 9 8 1 2 4 3 7 Aries 4 2Pisces 8 3 6 1 7 9 5 Feb 20 Mar 20 Mar 21 - Apr 19 7 9 3 2 8 5 6 1 4 Get 5 yourself 6 1a nemesis.

9 4Someone 7 3constantly 8 2 Today you will stuff your fists into two squealing

5

3 6

9

8 4 2

9 3 2 8 6 1 2

um

8

9

The solutions will- Easy be published here in the next issue.

Previous solution 1 3 6 4 5 8 2 8 solution 4 1 -7Easy 9 Previous 9 7 5 6 2 1 3 6 4 5 8 2 3 7 23 814 2 1 77 9 95 4 6 9 7 5 6 2 3 1 4 8 4 7 5 3 6 3 1 2 7 9 4 8 5 86 457 9 5 38 6 19 2 2 64 529 8 8 13 2 64 1 3 4 2 8 3 6 1 7 9 77 993 3 2 82 5 86 5 1 55 661 1 9 49 7 43 7 8

dium

88 22

2 5 91 38 8 9 6 14 77 5 46 23

7 6 4 5 2 3 9 1 8

9 3 8 6 1 7 5 4 2

May 21 - Jun 20

Go to Wichita.

Taurus Apr 20 - May 20 Lord, I’m Disco-Urged.

Jigglypuffs and beat a Chancey to death. Tomorrow you will eat a Squirtle.

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains Geminievery number uniquely.

Cancer © 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

8 1 7 3 9

plotting against you will really give you the kick in the pants you’ve been craving.

Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19

Jun 21 - Jul 23

For many strategies, hints tips, Don’t blame the mapmakers, for they do not know and It will never be enough, it will never satisfy the the wonders of an unfinished map. vacuum of living. visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Sudoku you’ll really like ‘Str8ts’ and our other puzzles, Apps and books.

Visit www.str8ts.com Libra Virgo Aug 24 - Sept 23

Sept 24 - Oct 23

Never go to Wichita.

Think of a dog. Pet the dog. Feel her unconditional love for you. Now wake gently from this dream and FACE THE HELLSCAPE OF REALITY.

Leo Jul 24 - Aug 23 I take your point, but have you considered this article I half remember from a biased website that totally refutes you?

Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 22 You open the door into another room, dimly lit. Like the last it is well kept but the absence just settles deeper inside of you. Something is waiting for you in another room.

6

e.

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

6

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

To complete Sudoku, fill the board

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that entering each row, column and 3x3 by numbers 1 box to 9 such contains every number uniquely. that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org

For strategies, If youmany like Sudoku you’ll reallyhints like and tips, visit ‘Str8ts’www.sudokuwiki.org and our other puzzles, Apps and books. Visit www.str8ts.com

If you like Sudoku you’ll really like ‘Str8ts’ and our other puzzles, Apps and books. Visit www.str8ts.com

Wanted: Two bumbling imbeciles to constantly undermine my evil plans. I’m talking, like, a couple of real fucking jackasses.

Personals Missed Connection

You: sank my battleship Me: We’re playing Connect 4

Lost

The T from Johnson

Missed Connection You: You. Me: A filthy scarecrow waving its broomstick arms in a parody of each unconcious thing you do.

Wanted: A flashlight.

(for all this shade you’ve been throwing.)