The Runner: Vol. 7 Issue 14 by The Runner

VOTED KWANTLENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S #1 TRIBUTE BAND (THE RUNAWAYS), SINCE 2009 VOLUME-07-ISSUE-14 / MARCH-10-2015

Fertilizing

Our Minds KPU and Tsawwassen First Nation team up to launch farm school Featuring

Stephen Harper

Election Results

Exec Compensation

Burlesque Life

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Masthead

The Runner

#BestPhoto featuring Kwantlen’s finest

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March 10 / 2015

from @kpu_ambassadors on Instagram (KPU Student Ambassadors) Each week we’ll pick our favourite photo from the Kwantlen social media community. To submit your photo, use the hashtag #runnermag.

IN THIS ISSUE You don’t want to miss out on . . . News.................................................. 04 Life goals for the KSA.

Features.............................................. 12 Vancouver burlesque scene is growing and it’s great.

Culture................................................ 15 Shadow puppets graduate beyond the bedroom.

Columns.............................................. 19 Is Iceland as feminist as we think?

Opinions.............................................. 21 Goodbye to student loans, and Sun News - about time!

“Our FANTASTIC #KPUOpenHouse volunteers!!! This event couldn’t have been possible without your enthusiasm, energy, and help!! #kwantlenu #runnermag”

The Runner is always on the lookout for talented photographers, reporters, artists and designers. If you have an interest in joining our team please visit:

Website: www.runnermag.ca Twitter: www.twitter.com/runnermag Facebook: www.facebook.com/runnerpaper EDITORIAL DIVISION The Runner is student-owned and operated by Kwantlen Polytechnic University students, published under the Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society.

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www.runnermag.ca Vol. 07, Issue no. 14 March 10, 2015 ISSN# 1916 8241

Cover Art: “Pavel Ganapolsky is a third-year GDMA student at Kwantlen with aspirations of getting enough hours of sleep a night, keeping on top of his assignments and balancing his social life. Unfortunately, he does not do this well... but he’s a great designer. He spends a lot of his time creating - be it with print and interactive design or writing music.”

CONTRIBUTORS Danielle George, Pavel Ganapolsky, Hailey Logan, Keith Harris, Rosaura Ojeda, Hira Matharoo, Ajdin Dautović, Faraz Hassany, Joseph Keller, Awais Mushtaq, Torin Slik, Daniella Javier, Victoria Fraser, Jessica Brynelson, Chris Yee, Dana Miller, Kyle Prince, Monica Mah, Aileen Tran. 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.

Coordinating Editor / Kier-Christer Junos editor@runnermag.ca @kierjunos

Social Media Specialist / Yaunna Sommersby @yaunnarae

Executive Editor / Samantha Thompson deputy@runnermag.ca @sampthompson

Associate Editor / Connor Doyle

Production Editor / Roland Nguyen production@runnermag.ca

Co-Art Director / Mark Stewart photos@runnermag.ca @markstewart

Co-Art Director / Charis Au

Staff Writer / Tristan Johnston

BUSINESS DIVISION Operations Manager / Scott Boux office@runnermag.ca / 778.565.3801

Cover Art: Danielle George, here is where we will place the cover biography. We will be talking about the

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Editorial

March 10 / 2015

From the Editors Danielle George

Rage against the machine.

Samantha Thompson Executive Editor

Every March 8, we celebrate International Women’s Day. It’s a celebration of self-identifying women, and I have so many women in my life who are passionate, strong, and inspiring. On this day, I celebrate them. But International Women’s Day is more than a celebration. It’s also a day of reﬂection, when we look back on the struggle for gender equality, and acknowledge the gains that have been made--and how far we still have to go. There’s this running narrative that suggests we should be grateful for the rights that have already been “given” to us, but that’s wrong. We should be grateful for the women and allies who came before us, who fought for equal rights. But we can’t use that as a reason to stop ﬁghting. We’re not there yet. Equality

hasn’t been achieved. We still live in a world where a man thinks he has a right to touch a woman even when she says no. We still live in a world where women text each other when they get home, just to conﬁrm that they made it home safely. We still live in a world where women can’t even go to university without being subject to rape chants or sexual assault. It’s bullshit. Gender equality is not a women’s issue. It needs to be an issue for everyone. This doesn’t mean that being a man makes you a bad person. But it does mean that if you identify as male, you receive certain privileges that are ingrained in society. You won’t be seen as whiny or called a “bitch” if you’re in a position of authority. You can wear what you want, without having society tell you that you’re “asking” for sexual assault. You can go to a job interview, and know that your gender won’t be a factor in whether or not they hire you.

Demand better. It needs to matter when an Aboriginal woman is missing. It needs to matter when a trans woman is attacked. It needs to matter if someone from the LGBTQ community is discriminated against. It needs to matter if a woman comes forward saying that someone sexually assaulted her-without society automatically siding with the man, and calling her “crazy.” You yourself can begin to shift the narrative. Stop sharing stories on social media that only serve to reinforce the dominant perspective. Stop sharing stories from clickbait sites, that only serve to drown out real news. Start reading alternative media, giving an audience for diverse perspectives so that diﬀerent stories can be told. Challenge yourself to think critically, instead of being a drone for the machine that prioritizes the privileged over everyone else.

We need to stop complaining about women who point out that gender equality is wrong. It is wrong, and it’s still very much a real issue. Instead of complaining, inform yourself and make the eﬀort to understand the ﬁght, so that one day you may become an ally. And acknowledge that there are things in life you receive simply because of your privilege. Feminism itself isn’t perfect. Self-identifying women are powerful, and we are strong. We should be proud to identify as feminists, and we need to ensure that our feminism is intersectional. Feminism has been about straight, white, cis-gendered women for decades, and this needs to change. Media plays a big role in this enforcement of privilege. It is hugely problematic that they prioritize the stories of straight, white, privileged people. All these narratives are doing is reinforcing the white, cisgender, heteronormative patriarchy that our society is built on.

What’s up this week! with Daniella Javier! March 10th - March 22nd Tuesday Mar. 10 Sea Monsters Revealed: The Exhibition Come experience the Canadian premiere of Sea Monsters Revealed:The Exhibition. You’ll also get to see what sea monsters, such as sharks, look like internally--creepy for some people. Visitors can also learn about how these creatures have been portrayed in myths. Mar.5-Sep.7., Vancouver Aquarium (845 Avison Way, Vancouver). $20 (w/ student I.D.).

Wednesday Mar. 11 Green Wednesdays: “Feeding Frenzy” KPU’s school of horticulture is currently holding the seventh season of Green Wednesdays: a series of challenging documentaries that explore what we eat, and what we need to sustain our species. All movies are open to the public as well as KPU students, faculty and staﬀ. 2:30 p.m., KPU Langley Campus (Room 1030). Registration recommended. Admission by donation.

Thursday Mar.12 Six Guitars Would you like to see one man play six different characters? Six Guitars is a great blend of music, comedy, and characters. Chase Padgett becomes six players--each with their own unique voice, views and musical style. Sounds neat. Mar.12-Mar.14., Surrey Arts Centre Main Stage. $25.

Saturday Mar.14 KDocs Documentary Film Festival Spring 2015 KDocs is holding their ﬁrst documentary ﬁlm festival at Vancity Theatre this year. Awardwinning documentaries, including Honor Dairies, Do the Math, and A Dangerous Game, will be shown. Events will include speakers, panelists, and lots of food/beverages. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Vancity Theatre (1181 Sey-

mour Street, Vancouver). $5-10.

Tuesday Mar.17 St.Paddy’s Day Community Meal Celebrate St.Paddy’s Day with a traditional Irish stew, freshly baked soda bread, and the Water Shed’s Lucky Leprechaun desert. The bar will also be open with Irish ales available for purchase. Need we say more? 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Water Shed Arts Cafe (#11- 20349 88 Ave, Langley).$18-24.

Sunday Mar.20 First day of spring In Vancouver, it has already felt like Spring, but according to the calendar, Mar.20 is the ﬁrst day. So, get out and enjoy the “First day of spring” and hope that it’s not actually raining on this day. Knowing Vancouver, you never know.

Anytime. Anywhere. All day.

Tuesday Mar.22 Grouse Mountain’s Snowshoe Grind Challenge 2015 Desiring for some snow? What about a workout in the snow? Whether you’re looking to do a race, or just have some fun, Grouse Mountain’s Snowshoe Grind Challenge will be a unique experience for everyone. This race is open to snowshoers of all levels. 10 a.m. race start., Grouse Mountain Resort (6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver).

News

The Runner

March 10 / 2015

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KPU reports expose flaws in executive compensation reporting Audits recommend ways to enhance accountability.

Samantha Thompson Executive Editor

Two reports commissioned by Kwantlen Polytechnic University show that the institution failed to accurately declare the compensation of some senior executives and administration on multiple occasions from 2010 to 2014. The reports conclude that there did not appear to be malintent in these errors, instead suggesting that some of the provincial guidelines for reporting such compensation were vague, perhaps leading to confusion. The university commissioned an internal investigation after Rob Mingay, assistant deputy finance minister for the BC provincial government, released a report that pointed to several problems in KPU’s reporting of executive and senior administration compensation. KPU’s own reports, by legal firm Harris and Company LLP and accounting and business firm MNP LLP, reviewed documentation provided by the institution for a four-year period. As a public sector employer, KPU is governed by several pieces of legislation, including the Public Sector Employers Act and the Financial Information Act. The Public Sector Employers’ Council (PSEC) reviews financial reports submitted by post-secondary institutions to ensure they’re following policy, and it’s how they keep KPU accountable. KPU has to submit a compensation plan for approval, which outlines at which monetary value staff levels can be compensated, and once approved this becomes a legally enforceable compensation standard. Anything outside of this approved plan must be resubmitted to PSEC for approval, and KPU failed to do so on several occasions between 2010 and 2014, which led first to the Mingay report commissioned by the provincial government, and now to the two reports KPU commissioned itself.

Understanding the Reports Two reports were submitted to KPU’s board of governors at the end of January, each consisting of 30 pages. One was from Harris and Company, which was meant to provide advice and recommendations related to KPU’s compliance with legislation and policies about the terms and conditions of employment and compensation of KPU’s senior administrators and executives. The second was from MNP, to provide an internal audit of human resources procedures, and controls for the employment, compensation and accountability reporting for KPU’s executive managers, for the four-year review period. The two reports cost KPU $250,000. The Harris report made eight recommendations, and the MNP report made 24. All of the recommendations seek to improve transparency and accountability when it comes to the appointment, pre-employment agreements, compensation, employment and accountability of KPU’s

executive managers and senior administrators. The MNP report examined documentation for 68 employment transactions (promotions, reclassifications, hiring and temporary assignment) for 42 individual employees. They concluded that “serious gaps were noted in the manner in which senior executive employment terms were documented,” as some were in the form of appointment letters, formal contracts, or both--and in some instances, a contract and an offer letter outlined different terms of employment. According to the Harris report, they did not find “any evidence that the compliance breaches described . . . were the result of attempts made by KPU to avoid its obligations under the external regulatory framework [provincial legislation, etc.] or the internal requirements [KPU policies]. Rather, KPU appears to have endeavoured in good faith to comply with its obligations, and the inconsistencies we have identified appear to have resulted from lack of awareness, inadequate policies and practices for ensuring compliance, and in some cases ambiguity in the requirements or the guidance provided by PSEC.” The Mingay report referenced several leaked emails that suggest parties involved were aware on some level that certain actions would alert PSEC to the levels of compensation, particularly surrounding pre-employment contracts. The Harris report is focused on the Senior Excluded Group, which is comprised of presidents, executives and senior administrators at or above pay grade 10, who were employed by KPU during the review period, and senior administrators employed during and at the end of the review period, at grade nine pay positions.

Getting Here The Mingay report, released in June 2014, concluded that KPU had failed to fully report some of its executive compensation, largely as a result of declaring pre-employment contracts for Anne Lavack (vice-president academic and provost from July 1, 2011 to Aug. 16, 2012) and Alan Davis (president since 2012), as fees for a supplier of services/contract work rather than executive compensation. Rob Mingay, then-assistant deputy finance minister in B.C.’s ministry of finance, stated that these pre-employment contracts were “a payment that would reasonably have been considered to be compensation, and so it should have been disclosed under the Compensation Reporting Guidelines.” The Mingay report came about after MLA David Eby, NDP advanced education critic, submitted documents to the legislature that suggested then-advanced education minister Amrik Virk had been involved in faulty compensation reporting during his time as a member of KPU’s board of governors. Finance minister Michael de Jong directed Mingay to investigate into these claims, which resulted in Mingay’s 40-page report. KPU then hired MNP to conduct an inter-

nal investigation, to “rectify any deficient processes and procedures,” they said in a statement. The report covered a review period of April 1, 2010 to June 30, 2014. According to a statement from KPU, “MNP was asked to review and report on the processes and controls related to the employment, compensation and accountability for KPU’s executive managers.”

Pre-Employment Contracts and Salary Caps The Harris, MNP and Mingay reports raise pre-employment contracts as a point of concern. During the review period, there were four pre-employment contracts: to George Verghese (hired as KPU’s dean of the school of design in 2011), Elizabeth Worobec (hired as dean of science and horticulture in 2012), Davis and Lavack. Mingay points out that the pre-employment contracts were vague in outlining deliverables. According to the MNP report, “The absence of clear, specific deliverables or remuneration rate contributed to a perception that pre-employment contracts were developed with the intention to skirt compensation limits.” The Harris report states that, “While the compliance breaches identified in our report do not, in our view, reflect a culture at KPU of intentional breaching of the external regulatory framework or internal requirements, they do demonstrate a clear need for greater clarity and consistency in communication and enforcing [legislation and policies] pertaining to exempt employee compensation.” However, in 2011 there was a period of time when KPU’s board of governors was considering supplementing Davis’ compensation with $100,000 from the KPU Foundation. Emails regarding this were presented by MLA David Eby in the BC Legislature. Gordon Lee, thenvice-president of finance and administration, emailed Ruth Wittenberg, then-president of the BC Association of Institutes and Universities, who advised him to “seek approval to compensate to the cap currently in place for teaching universities, which is $225,000. A supplementary amount coming from the foundation would, I assure you, result in an extremely negative reaction from the government.” “I strongly recommend that your Board Chair not proceed down the path of compensation outside the guidelines. It will not work out well, that I can guarantee,” she added. The MNP report also notes that the way the pre-employment contracts were reported (as contract work, not compensation) was not an oversight, but rather a “judgement made by KPU management at the time based on their interpretation of the guidelines.” In a document submitted to the Legislature by David Eby, Ellen Hill, then-manager of HR and benefits, human resource services, sent an email pertaining to the employment contract of Anne Lavack. “As Anne’s compensation level

Hailey Logan

is such that it requires contract disclosure to the PSEA and PSEC, I’ve omitted any reference in the contract to both the administrative leave and annual research allowance,” the email states. The pre-employment contracts were not in-line with KPU’s approved compensation plan, and weren’t approved by PSEC. Verghese and Worobec both received $20,000 for “consulting,” and $50,000 each for both Davis and Lavack. Verghese and Worobec’s contracts, because they were under $25,000, didn’t necessarily need to be reported, but the Harris report concludes that they should have been in the interest of transparency. Mingay noted that despite unclear deliverables, there was evidence that Davis had worked extensively for KPU in the months covered by his pre-employment contract. “All of the employees who entered into pre-employment contracts understood them to be integral to an offer of employment, and negotiated those contracts in good faith with KPU,” states the Harris report. The pre-employment contracts were reported as suppliers of services, instead of compensation. “KPU believed it had complied with its reporting requirements because such contracts were structured as independent contractor agreements,” states Harris. However, Mingay noted that a reasonable examination of the contract would suggest that it constitutes compensation, and should have been reported as such. KPU has not entered further pre-employment contracts since Davis became president on Sept. 1, 2012.

Campus Principal Stipends Other compensation under review were stipends received by senior employees. Five employees in the senior excluded group received stipends because they had additional roles like Campus Principal, but the stipends were not approved to correspond with government guidelines. KPU has several active policies that pertain to its senior excluded group. In addition to an administrative salary grid, there is the Working Conditions, Salaries, Benefits and Retirement Provisions for Administrative Employees policy, which was last approved by PSEC in 2010. According to the Harris report, compensation covers base salary, benefits, bonus and incentive compensation, pension contributions, supplementary retirement plan contributions, vacation and other paid leave. KPU has an approved compensation plan from PSEC that outlines how people are allowed to be compensated. The MNP report states that KPU needed to submit a new compensation plan for PSEC to review and approve. During the review period, multiple employees received stipends in addition to their salary,

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News

March 10 / 2015

Hailey Logan

for performing additional roles. The most common role covered in the reports was the campus principal, which gave Jane Fee and Stuart McIlmoyle a $10,000 stipend in 2013 for serving Langley and Richmond. This stipend was reduced to $5,000 in Sept. 2013, and McIlmoyle continued to receive an additional $5,000 in his role as associate vice-president international, although the Harris report notes that there is no documentation to support this stipend restructuring. Previous Surrey campus principals Robert Hensley and Ron Maggiore both also received $5,000 annually in their respective terms. According to the Harris report, KPU says that the payment to campus principals is a longstanding practice dating back to 2003, although the practice hasn’t been consistent until 2013. These stipends are not part of KPU’s approved compensation plan and have not been approved by PSEC. KPU recently sought out formal approval from PSEC for its stipends.

Administrative Salary Grid and Vacation The current salary grid was revised in April 2009 and approved by PSEC in 2010. It lays out 10 pay grades, with six steps within each pay grade. The Harris and MNP reports outline multiple instances where employees were paid outside of the current salary grid, sometimes without PSEC approval. There are other means of compensation beyond salary as well: KPU has a policy pertaining to relocation expenses, and according to the Harris report Alan Davis was provided access to a vehicle leased by KPU, which was made available to him and other employees. Davis does keep records of his personal use of the vehicle, and these numbers are included in the Executive Compensation Disclosure statement, but it was not part of the approved compensation plan. KPU also has a policy that outlines vacation entitlements, which are based on the length of service to KPU. However, several employees in the senior excluded group were given vacation time that exceeded entitlements outlined by the Working Conditions policy, often for recruitment purposes to match vacation time candidates had in their previous positions. These changes were not consistent with KPU’s policy, nor approved by PSEC. One employee received five weeks of vacation, 11 received six, three received seven--all within their first year of employment where the standard is four weeks.

should seek written approval from PSEC before implementing changes to compensation of the senior excluded group, when it falls outside the approved compensation plan. The Harris report recommended that any compliance breaches in the report be reported to PSEC, that clear and consistent policies be established, and that PSEC approval is

received before any changes outside of the compensation plan are implemented. The Harris report also emphasizes that deviations from legislation or policy were not substantial, that “inconsistencies did not involve substantial amounts,” and that employees performing roles such as campus principal were provided with “modest stipends.”

Recommendations from the Harris Report 1. Any compliance breaches identified in the report not yet reported to PSEC be reported immediately along with background information. 2. Implement training so that KPU employees responsible for establishing terms and conditions of employment, reporting compensation, and terminating employment of executive administrative employees are knowledgeable of relevant policies and legislation. 3. Establish clear and consistent policies and procedures to ensure compliance with policies and legislation. 4. Responsibility for recruiting and hiring senior employees lies with HR department in consultation with finance and legal. 5. Prior to offering terms of employment and compensation, seek written approval from PSEC. 6. Personnel documentation should be consistent, complete and documented in personnel files.

“KPU is committed to the principles of transparency and accountability throughout this process, beginning with the release of these reports and the management response to the recommendations,” Davis said in a press release. The board of governors has agreed to implement both report’s recommendations.

8.Negotiating contract terms should be limited to people are groups assigned responsibility for approving candidates, in consultation with HR. 9. KPU should develop a policy that discourages pre-employment contracts. 10. Finance department should be consulted regarding what is considered compensation under the Public Sector Executive Compensation Reporting Guidelines issued by PSEC, as part of drafting the Executive Compensation Disclosure report. 11. Establish a clear definition of perquisites. 12. Institute procedures for senior management (VP-finance and/or the president) to review and sign-off on disclosures required under Public Sector Employers Act. 13. Ensure processes for collecting, validating and certifying PSEC and other key regulatory submissions are consistently documented and communicated.

7. Create a policy where pre-employment contracts are not to be used except where KPU needs a candidate to provide transitional services before they commence employment.

14. As part of drafting Statement of Financial Information, finance department should provide information regarding items that could be considered compensation under the guidance provided by the Ministry of Finance.

8. Ensure coordination between senior management, HR, and finance departments, in compilation and review of compensation reports.

15. Perform a cost/benefit analysis of automating at least part of the Statement of Financial Information report generating process.

Recommendations from the MNP Report

16. Because the Statement of Financial Information is released to the public, a formal documented supervisory review should be implemented.

1. Consistent processes and documentation should be used for all senior executive appointments.

17. Vice-president of finance should review and approve the Statement of Financial Information, attesting to its completeness and accuracy.

2. In order to clearly delineate compensation from non-compensation related matters, KPU should ensure that non-compensation related items, such as research allowances, are negotiated and agreed separately from the compensation negotiation process.

18. KPU should request written approval from PSEC before implementing changes to compensation of excluded staff, outside PSEC-approved plan.

3. KPU should formally delegate responsibility for making offers of employment and procuring contracts of employment to HR department.

20. Board should receive regular reports of University’s performance against its strategic objectives.

4. Standardized templates for key aspects of the recruitment process should be developed by HR.

21. Operational responsibility for risk management should be reassigned directly to the President, or the Board.

Recommendations and Conclusions

5. Contracts of employment with senior executives should be consistent with the standard term developed by KPU.

22. KPU should develop a comprehensive risk register as soon as possible, and use this register as the basis for regular reporting to the board on the status of risks and KPU’s programs to manage them.

The MNP report concluded with 24 recommendations, most of which pertained to standardizing the process through which senior executive appointments and compensation were handled. They also suggested that KPU develop a policy that discouraged pre-employment contracts, and that KPU

6. Terms of each draft offer of employment should be formally signed off by the person or group assigned responsibility for approving candidates.

23. Assign responsibility for the Code of Conduct to a senior staff member.

7. Enhance policies and procedures for hiring senior academic administrators.

24. Assess, enhance and implement controls related to key financial areas and processes using a control framework.

19. Orientation process for new Board members.

News

The Runner

March 10 / 2015

KSA Discusses safer, inclusive sex policy Previous policy expired in 2013; committee seeks updates.

Ajdin Dautovic‘ Contributor

“People generally have sex,” says Eric Wirsching, vice-president of student life for the Kwantlen Student Association. The KSA’s policies regarding sex education and information have expired and are now under review. The former policy was titled “Safer Sex Education” and aimed to inform students about ways to safely engage in sexual activity, if they chose to do so. The previous policy expired in March 2013.

“It’s the same policy. It hasn’t changed at all,” says Wirsching. “We have a three-year sunset clause . . . just so that it ensures we are updating things and we’re not held to something that was passed 10 years ago.” Wirshing notes that the policy is about acknowledging that universities are full of young people and these people have sex. “We just want to provide any sort of support for safe sex to happen. We hand out condoms, we had a Sexpo . . . We do events along those lines. It’s a social justice thing, at the end of the day.” Although discussions are currently ongoing for an updated sex education policy,

there’s no current timetable for the policy, according to Wirsching. “It’s been on the radar, but it’s one of those things,” he says. “We had six or seven policies all expire at the same time so . . . we have a lot of catch-up work to do as far as updating things that are expired.” The policy is slated to be gender inclusive and Wirsching says all viewpoints are welcome. “There are a couple of minor changes that have been identiﬁed for this policy, like language for male and female condoms. So we are switching that to internal and external condoms to take out the gender language.” Additionally, the policymakers will seek

W : runnermag.ca to accommodate different viewpoints by performing consultations, and seeking feedback from various KSA representatives. However, no current research has been conducted. The policy is also meant to reflect the official position of the society, according to Wirsching. “This is your student union, and if you think that your view is not represented, then definitely bring that to the attention of anyone: the vicepresident, your faculty representative, your campus representative, anyone has the ability to bring that forward,” Wirsching stresses. There is also an important aspect to the policy: education. Sexual education has become more integrated into public teaching institutions, but Wirsching notes that it’s hard to know where people are in their sexual education journey. Providing the basics about sexual health, providing contraceptives and protection, and being aware of risks regarding sexual practices are what the policy strives to deal with. Likewise, the students at KPU are not a homogenous unit and thus there may be different viewpoints on such a policy and its practicalities. “We’re just promoting information,” Wirsching states. “At this university we have to allow this kind of dialogue and information.”

In Da Club Kwantlen’s Model UN not just for politics students.

Faraz Hassany Contributor

At the beginning of January, the

Kwantlen Model United Nations team went to a Model UN conference at UBC, and came back with awards for best delegate and most diplomatic and a third award for honourable mention for most diplomatic. “UBCMUN is one of the conferences that we go to as a team,” says Sana Sohel, club president and club co-founder. “Model UN happens all over the world, so that was UBC’s version of a Model UN and we took a very strong team of 13 students there. We had three students come back with awards which was really great--it was the largest amount of awards we’ve had as a team so far.” According to Sohel, a lot of time and eﬀort goes into preparing for a Model UN conference.

“We start with gathering a team, holding workshops, debates and often get one of the professors at Kwantlen, Colleen McGoff, to come and help us with our public speaking skills. [That way] we can focus on our weaknesses and try to improve them.” Other than the UBCMUN, KMUN has attended other conferences both local and abroad. “One of the other ones we go to is the Northwest MUN which is in Seattle in Portland and a student came back with a distinguished delegate award back in 2014,” says Sohel. The benefits participants receive from the conferences are diverse in nature. Some delegates gain more general knowledge, or improve upon public speaking, planning, problem solving and improvisational skills. “The way I look at it, each student has something different to get out of it,” says Sohel. “For me, I really wanted to work on my public speaking and it has helped me really feel confi-

dent. For other students it’s about gaining more knowledge about certain topics, and to be more informed. It’s helped them in that way overall.” “I guess it really speaks to you as a person, how you want to grow and what you want to take out of it. Also, you’re part of a vibrant team and a great community that learns and grows as a group.” Sohel stresses that MUN is not exclusively for students who are outspoken or studying in areas like politics or social sciences. “I’m a creative writing major and I haven’t had a problem integrating myself into the Model UN culture,” says Sohel. “Most of the members are from the faculty of arts, and there are criminology students and sociology students. We’ve also had students from biology or horticulture involved with Model UN and the reason for that is we simulate the actual UN, so there’s always something for someone to discuss. It’s not always just about politics.”

From left to right, Kurt Renvall, Vic Herr and Aaron Philip

There are a number of skills that are necessary to come out with an award or honourable mention at a MUN conference. “Conﬁdence is necessary,” begins Sohel. “They should be very well rehearsed on the topic and they should be aware of any changes happening in the real world, so that they can use those [changes] and take that on to the next level when they do a simulation and be able to come up with new and constructive ideas that are unique. It’s really relevant to real world politics and news.” “The costs [of participating] are covered by the university,” says Sohel. “We don’t have a fee or anything to be part of the club--basically we are very passionate about Model United Nations and that’s what we’re trying to spread.” The KMUN team went to the Northwest MUN in Seattle in February, and will be going to the World MUN, in Seoul, South Korea, this March.

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News

March 10 / 2015

Compared to Europe, Canadians have poor choices among telecom providers You could have it better.

Tristan Johnston Staff Writer

Canadians pay much higher than Europeans for a lower quality of internet and cellphone service, and have very few choices in the marketplace. “Fundamentally, Canada’s rules prevents [new internet service providers from entering the market],” says Josh Tabish from OpenMedia, an organization that advocates for internet users in Canada. Josh Tabish believes that the “Big Three” -Telus, Shaw and Bell -- are uncompetitive, usually changing their prices at the same times. Shaw recently raised their prices and lowered their speeds for new customers, which are going up by 10 per cent, while speeds can be up to 40 per cent slower. Telus and Bell are yet to adjust their prices. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently redeﬁned broadband internet as 25 Mbps downstream. They reclassiﬁed the internet as Title II, which makes the internet a utility, like electricity. Canada’s cell phone providers are also more expensive than in Europe. For instance, if someone was to get a cell phone plan with Bell, they could end up paying $85 per month and getting only 500MB of data. In Austria, someone could get contract-free, month-to-month service for only $28 Canadian with A1, which gives four times the data as the Bell plan: 2GB. “When you look at places like Europe, they have very fair open access rules that promote the diversity of companies and organizations operating on the networks, and as a result, they’re paying half as much for

way more,” says Tabish. The Europeans are also much diﬀerent when it comes to roaming charges. The European Commission’s new law came into full eﬀect this year, eliminating roaming charges within the continent. Rogers’ “Roam like Home” plan for travellers to the United States is as low as $5 a day. More recently, Shaw announced that

they were adjusting the prices of their internet service. Now $50 per month provides 5 Mbps and a mere 60GB data cap. For roughly $46CDN, A1 in Austria provides six times faster speeds (30 Mbps) and unlimited data. There is a lot more competition between several diﬀerent telecoms within Austria alone. A1 and bob; both being Austria based, Drei and Orange; both owned by a Hong Kong ﬁrm,

Rosaura Ojeda

and T-Mobile; owned by its German parent company. Telus, Rogers and Bell have aggressively opposed moves to allow foreign owned competition into the country. Ninety-four per cent of the internet service landscape in Canada is controlled by Shaw, Telus and Bell. In August of 2013, Telus, Bell and Rogers backed the “Fair for Canada” campaign in an attempt to get the Canadian public to oppose foreign telecoms from entering the Canadian market. The website, Fairforcanada. ca, argued that it is anti-competitive to allow foreign companies like Verizon to enter the Canadian market to buy wireless spectrum. After Verizon announced that they were no longer interested, the campaign stopped. The Big Three have also argued that Verizon would be many times larger than them, stifling competition. In a press release, the CEO of Telus, Darren Entwistle said, “Our only ask is that we be allowed to compete on a level playing field, without being hobbled by special advantages granted to foreign companies that dwarf Canada’s entire telecom industry.” However, Canadian telecoms can do business in the United States. Tabish mentions Ting as an example. “They sell mobile phone and data services. But, despite being a Canadian company, they can only do business in the United States, because Canada’s telecom companies have blocked them using their networks to sell their service.” According to Tabish, “The CRTC has taken many positive steps towards reigning in telecom giants towards helping increase the delivery of more affordable service to Canadians, but there’s a long way to go still.”

Harper’s visit raises questions from students Prime Minister makes surprise trip to KPU with little notice. Contributor

In an unexpected turn of events Prime Minister Stephen Harper paid a visit to the Cloverdale campus of Kwantlen Polytechnic University on Feb. 19. The Prime Minister’s Oﬃce arranged for KPU to be the venue of a policy announcement. KPU acknowledged the visit as being short notice in an email to students, and described the event as a “resounding success.” The announcement of the Prime Minister’s visit was made to the general public shortly before the event was to commence. At the event, the Prime Minister announced his support for the creation of new jobs in the liquefied natural gas industry. Harper also detailed a new tax relief measure for the LNG industry which he says will help create growth. Under the newly announced measure, businesses in the LNG industry will receive a capital cost allowance of 30 per cent for equipment, and 10 per cent for building. Harper made the announcement while standing in front of a selection of KPU trade students donning hard hats and reflective vests. Also in attendance were BC MPs Wai Young and Bob Zimmer, as well as Minister of State Alice Wong and Minister of Industry James Moore. Some students were surprised to ﬁnd a lack of access to the event. Absent from the invite list was the Kwantlen Student Association, which typically represents KPU students in events such as these. As word of the visit spread, several

students arrived seeking entry and were turned away by security. Among them was KSA vicepresident of student life Eric Wirsching. The Runner, too, was unable to attend the event. We received word of the event approximately an hour before the PMO’s press deadline. Runner reporters were unable to make it to the Cloverdale campus within this time period. Upon arrival they were told that they could not attend as either journalists or students. Also absent were representatives of the

Kwantlen First Nation who are normally at major campus events to represent KPU’s partnership with the local aboriginal peoples. The PMO reportedly failed to notify anyone from the KFN of the event. “I believe that [the president of KPU] had a duty to inform quite a few different parties about [the Prime Minister’s visit] instead of keeping it a secret,” says Justin Bige, Aboriginal student representative for the KSA. “I’m incredibly disappointed in the administration especially after the Elder-in-Residence installation ceremony. It’s a bit

Danielle George

Joseph Keller

of a dishonour, in not keeping that tradition up.” According to KPU president Alan Davis, the university was restricted in their ability to notify others of the event until the day it was scheduled to happen. KFN member and KPU student Brandon Gabriel was outside the event voicing his concerns about the lack of KFN representation. “The eﬀort to create sustainable relationships with the school are not just symbolic and ceremonial. We must foster authentic collaborations that move beyond ceremony and tokenism,” says Gabriel in a written statement. “On Feb. 20, I was informed by a cohort that the Prime Minister would be appearing at KPU Cloverdale campus to address an audience. I assumed that the Kwantlen Nation Chief and Council, elders, drummers, and Elder-in-Residence Leykeyten, would have all been informed and would all be there representing our community in this authentic and collaborative way. But that wasn’t the case.” “I felt that the matter wasn’t handled very well from start to ﬁnish. Dr. Davis’ executive assistants could use a tune up in their Aboriginal Rights and Title educations as well as learning a few things about respect.” According to KPU representatives, preparations for the announcement were handled primarily by the PMO and so attendance invites were largely out of the university’s hands. The university has scheduled meetings with both the KSA and the KFN to explain in-person what led to the lack of notice about the Prime Minister’s visit.

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Former prisoners share stories with KPU

Awais Mushtaq Contributor

“Relationships matter,” was the statement spelled out across the projector screen during the inaugural “Tremendous Stories of Life after Life” event at the KPU Surrey campus. These two words represented what was soon going to be an important message by the panel of four speakers that evening on Feb. 20: former life prisoners for whom community engagement is a crucial step towards both removing misconceptions around inmates released into free society, and the struggles surrounding their release. The event was well received by a large crowd of students, faculty from the criminology department and community members, as the evening began with a opening prayer by Kwantlen First Nation elder-in-residence Leykeyten. For event organizer and criminology professor Alana Abramson, “Kwantlen is not only named after a First Nation but is on traditional territory, so it was really important to have the elder start us off . . . and his message and story really related to us, to have an open mind and an open heart as we were learning together.” While the event provided information on what a life sentence in Canada actually means for those serving it, along with the trials and tribulations that go into obtaining parole, the true purpose was engagement with those who had experienced it firsthand. All the speakers shared their stories of long-term incarceration, and the question and answer period included questions

about everything from correctional vocational training programs, to the current ﬂaws within Correctional Service Canada (CSC) According to Abramson, the policy and regulations within the CSC are “Going in the totally opposite direction we need to be. It’s not based on research. The government is trying to appear incredibly tough on crime because that’s what will get them reelected.” She adds that many people do support tough-on-crime policies, but it’s not based on accurate information. “Events like this help people make more educated choices when they go to the polls, which is important [for] this election year in particular,” she says. Her hope is that people “Take away less judgment when they hear about people who have committed crimes and . . . start to question the punitive political agenda. People need opportunities to reintegrate through graduated release.” She also notes that the event was another way to “Expose the public and others to what really goes on in prison, and who the people really are. They are human beings . . . so hearing these stories directly is a lot more meaningful.” Abramson explained that the event itself was inspired by one of her students during a corrections class who thought these messages needed to be heard by the community. “[The event will hopefully] raise community awareness about the issues that prisoners face inside,” she says. “It’s a very difficult process, and

they are much more likely to be successful if the community is open and supportive to them.” The event was also a tribute to criminology instructor Tom Allen who passed away in the summer of 2014. A former prisoner himself, Allen had volunteered within prisons and was an advocate for prison reform and restorative justice. “We knew each other for many years . . . [Tom] and I were very much kindred spirits in wanting to help prisoners and he was the one who was also bringing prisoners into his class to tell stories, so he would have been thrilled to see these stories reaching an even broader [audience] today,” says Abramson. One of those stories was from Ron Caldwell, a speaker at the event who openly shared his experience of being a lifer and what that meant within the context of him participating in the panel. “I guess openness and transparency . . . that’s part of the motivation behind not just mine, but the other panelists as well, their willingness to participate,” says Caldwell. A regular guest speaker in

Keith Harris

Life After Life event sees high turnout and sparks dialogue.

many of the corrections courses at Kwantlen, for Caldwell the evening was another way to “give back to the community.” “[It was] an opportunity to see what someone like myself, after serving a long time in prison, looks like. That we’re not monsters. We lead productive lives . . . it’s important for communities to learn how to communicate with guys like myself, who are getting out. This way everybody gets a certain level of understanding about expectations and the support that comes with that.” The biggest part for Caldwell’s success has been having that acceptance in the community, and “Knowing and feeling like I belong somewhere—that I’m not branded as that convict, because everyone of us gets out feeling that way. Community support softens that transition.”

Eagle Watch: Jack Hayes From ﬁreﬁghting to Asian history, he’s done it all.

Ajdin Dautovic‘ Contributor

Sometimes as students we walk into our

Jack Hayes

classrooms, listen to the professor lecture on, and we go on home. We may not get to know our instructors or professors and that’s a shame. We actually have some great faculty here at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and it’s time we learn more about them than the usual blurb we get from RateMyProfessors.com. Dr. Jack Hayes, a lecturer in the history and Asian studies program at KPU, and a research associate at the University of British Columbia. Hayes is a Chinese environmental historian, and he’s been at KPU for over two years. He also does editing and peer review at two, tier-one journals: Environmental History and Pacific Affairs. Hayes had an interesting childhood, as he didn’t grow up in the Lower Mainland. “I’m from Eastern Oregon, where there are cowboys and foresters. That’s where I grew up . . . in a rural ranching and timber community . . . very different from the Lower Mainland,” he says. Did his rural upbringing play an effect on his connection with the environment? “Absolutely” he notes. “It absolutely informs the book I wrote, and the things that interest me about my research. I grew up

fighting forest fires in Eastern Oregon, and that’s part of my research . . . I just happen to do it in a similar set of environments in Asia.” However, he noted that he did not originally plan to pursue Chinese history or environmental history when growing up. “I wanted to go into the [U.S.] Air Force, and actually got into the Air Force Academy,” he says. He eventually decided against pursuing a career in the military, and notes that he also had ambitions of becoming an astronaut, but decided against these options because he felt he wanted to consider other options--and then never returned to them. His first interactions with China, albeit in a less direct way, came in the form of a pen pal that he communicated with. “That was my first set of interests with China. I thought it was a kind of cool place, never thought I would actually go back to it, and didn’t really between grade school and college.” His fascination with China had a lot to do with his experience in university: “It was an East Asian history course, studying an introduction to China and Japan. I absolutely fell in love with it. The teacher was very good and I had a complete blast in the course, and I thought I could do this. So I did,” he says. Hayes attended and graduated from the Colorado College, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and the University of British Co-

lumbia. His dissertation focused on environmental change, political history, and social dynamics among Western China’s ethnic populations in borderland regions. Although, he notes his Ph.D was a dual-op research project whereby he looked at environmental issues and ethnic relations, how different aboriginal groups and other communities got along in a borderland and frontier setting. Hayes has also taught at Simon Fraser University and Norwich University (in Northfield, Vermont). Additionally he has done consulting work with various Chinese organizations regarding fire mitigation, land use management techniques, environmental impact assessments, and environmental degradation, and even done consulting work with the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army on cultural training for people going to Afghanistan and overseas. When he isn’t teaching, he’s conducting research, editing and reviewing books, and most recently will be publishing a major paper with his colleagues on ecosystem changes in Israel, the Iberian Peninsula, California, and the Shandong Province in China. Eagle Watch is a regular series that proﬁles members of the KPU community who are doing fascinating things. If you know someone who needs their time in the limelight, email deputy@runnermag.ca.

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KSA election results are in Incoming council has dreams for next term.

Tristan Johnston Staff Writer

The results from the KSA general election have been announced, with 473 referendum ballots cast. A total of 416 students voted for the inclusion of part-time students in the health and dental plan, while 57 voted against, meaning the referendum passed.

Many of the election races were uncontested, meaning the candidate had to get more “yes” votes than “no” votes in order to win. A number of these successful candidates won by small margins: Kayla England (queer students representative) who won her seat by 18 votes, Justin Bige (Aboriginal students representative) who won by 19 votes, and Simran Goraya, Lovenpreet Pannu and Waheed Taiwo (three of the four business faculty

= Returning

= New

representatives) won by around 20 votes. Several other races were also narrowly won, with Tashi Barungtsang (Surrey campus representative) winning by 11 votes, and DanielAli (students of colour representative) winning by 16 votes. Many successful candidates have said they will push for events on campus to promote their various constituencies and interests. A common theme among the newly and returning elected is their desire to have more

= Seeking Exeutive

“student life.” A few candidates wanted to improve the internal dynamics of the KSA itself. We’ve sat down with the incoming KSA council representatives to discuss their plans once they take office, asking them what they want to accomplish with the KSA over the next year. Justin Bige, Aboriginal students representative, and Simran Goraya, business representative were unavailable for an interview as of press time. Allison Gonzalez (design representative), Janice D’Souza (community and health representative) and Karanjot Dhillon (international students representative) could not be contacted for an interview, despite the election CRO sending out an email five days prior to The Runner’s deadline.

= Might seek Exeutive

constituency Representatives

Daniel Ali Students of Colour

Chelsea Scott Women students

Kimberley McMartin Students with Disabilities

Michael Morris Mature students

Kayla England Queer students

Ali has plans to organize multicultural events on campus, similar to the Pow-wow. “I would work with the KSA to see what kind of resources we have to go with,” he says. “I’ll be doing that, and working with KPIRG to do more multicultural types of events through the year. I’ve been working with KPIRG for the last six months, and it’s been very beneficial, and I want to use them as a resource as well. That’s pretty much where I’m starting.”

“My main goal is to be a voice for people that identify as women. On council, my ultimate [goal] would be attending council and being involved in committees, because I know that is a very important part of this organization for it to work. Recently, I was at the Northwest Student Leadership Conference in Portland with the KSA, and I did a workshop about campus rape prevention. There were some very interesting things that I came across that I am very excited to work on this term. That is something very relevant to my constituency.”

Kimberly wants to normalize the discussion around disabilities. “I almost lost my job a few times because I had a disability. And I don’t want that to ever happen to other people, I want there to be support, somewhere to go,” she says. “If they need resources or information, especially if they’re neurotypical or able-bodied. Some people came up to me and they have friends or family like this and they don’t know where to start, but we have information.” “I’m going to focus on events, maybe do some movie nights, to share some of the resources that I got from a disabilities collective ... and also get more information out there to say that it’s okay, it’s not something you have to whisper behind people’s backs.” “I’m also trying to do workshops and things like that, and having better communication of the programs that support students with disabilities.”

“I definitely want to continue a lot of programs that have been put in place over the last couple of years. There are some really great, terrific programs that have been put in place. So I’ll look at continuing and improving [those]. On top of that though, to do with mature student representative--I definitely want to look a little bit more into what we’re doing for anyone with children, so whether that’s daycare, whether that’s possibly another means to assist students that have children, that’s definitely something I want to look into. Sustainability as well-- Kwantlen can always be improved.” “Finally, I [want to] get the KSA more in students’ minds and in their viewpoints. Not a lot of students know all the things that the KSA does and how they can get involved and how it can benefit them, I think we need to be a little more proactive with how front-and-centre we are to the students and showcasing the KSA and what it can do for students.”

“I first started out as arts representative, which was last year. Currently I am the mature students representative, and then I’m going to be the queer representative,” says England. “Over the next year I hope to have Pride Kwantlen be a little bit more active and have more events. I am currently working on developing a speaker series which could include talks from burlesque performers, from transgender individuals and have them come into Grassroots or come into the Pride space and have them give a talk on a chosen subject that they’re knowledgeable about. [I want] to bring some awareness to the Pride campaign, into those particular issues. She is currently the chair of appointments and the chair of academic affairs, as well as a member of the governance committee, all for the KSA. She hopes to continue holding positions on those committees.

Tashi Barungtsang Surrey Campus representative

N “There’s actually a lot of things I want to do, a whole list of things. They are all the aspects of the Surrey campus. The lounges, the seating area, the library, all the different buildings. The cafeteria, Grassroots, the KPU gym as well as KPU Rec, as well as KSA hosted activities, events. As well as club activities … more awareness for a lot of the things that are already hosted on campus.” He lists toga parties, social events, concerts, dances, blacklight glowstick parties, multicultural faith events as events he’s looking to host in the next year, explaining that “We’re not here to say no. We’re here to give students what they paid for.” “You take a look at UBC or SFU, you can look at how much community, how much brotherhood, how much sisterhood [there is]. Everyone’s all friends, they have huge club events where people come out and they all have fun, they get to know each other.” It’s that atmosphere that Barungtsang wants to bring to KPU. “My main objective which is, to improve student culture and community on campus,” he explains. He hopes students will approach him “at the gym, or Grassroots, or the cafeteria or even in the bathroom,” to let them know what they’d like to see at KPU’s campus.

campus Representatives Morgan McKee Cloverdale Campus representative

R&E This is McKee’s second time on the KSA council. She was last on council two years ago. “Specifically there is a gym project that I hopefully--at least by the time I’m outgoing--will be underway. I know these things take a long time to get approval from facilities but obviously the construction of actual units and facilities available for students can take a while as well. So I’m hoping that it would be in the initial stages by the time I leave,” she says. “I’m also hoping to get some better services available in terms of food or beverage options at the Cloverdale campus. I know some students said something about having beer available . . . Sodexo is just overpriced and not healthy, and only open until 2 p.m.”

Chanel Kwong Richmond campus representative

R “I actually live in Surrey, but I take most of my courses in Richmond campus. I have noticed that there’s not much going on [there]. So basically, what I want to do is maybe have more events to really bring the student life there.”

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Faculty Representatives Victoria Fraser Arts faculty

Alex McGowan Arts faculty

Simon Massey Arts faculty

Tanvir Singh Arts faculty

Manpreet Bassi Business faculty

R&E

“I really want to emphasize performing arts a lot more, because there’s not a lot of plays or dancing or anything like that going on. I have noticed that those are some hobbies that I’m interested in, [and] students, they’re very social creatures. I think that’s a good way of building a stronger sense of community of students, which I think is sometimes lacking, but there are a lot of events going on.” Fraser also noted that she wants to make club formation more efficient, and wants to help with external affairs and student organizations.

“My plan, coming up, is that I’m going to be running for the vice-president external role in the KSA. Beyond that, even if I don’t get elected to that, the external affairs portfolio is what I’m interested in. Things like the federal election coming up, [and] you’ve got the transit referendum for sure. There’s a lot of activity in the KSA around that, and so I hope to be involved in the planning and execution of getting students out to vote. “In my role as an arts representative I want to engage with arts students better. I know that last year the arts faculty on the university side stopped posting meetings with arts reps and the KSA, and their student representatives. I hope to get that back up and running and I know there’s interest on the university side to do that. So, engaging arts students better and external affairs [are my goals].”

“I want to help campaign for a permanent club space on campus, in addition to the social justice room, because as it is now, the university has that as a dual purpose space, and I want another club focused space. I’m intending to run for V.P. of student life. I’m hoping I’ll get that and if I do, my portfolio will be focused on empowering clubs. If another councillor gets that position I would certainly help them with their work. “Additionally, I’m an arts rep, but I’m [also] chairperson of the student life committee. So I want to amp that up with more free on-campus events, especially spreading out beyond Surrey, like Richmond.”

“[There are] two main things that I’ve really been looking at so far. One is increasing transparency in the KSA. I’ve just felt that, looking at how the KSA has been operating over the last year or so, I haven’t really been able to figure out what the KSA has been doing.” He says that becoming involved with the Kwantlen Gaming Guild gave him the chance to understand how funding from the KSA worked. “Until I had been involved in the process, I had no idea how it worked. That’s something that, as a KSA member, I want to change. “[The second thing] is how the club process works overall. [With the KGG], it’s been really difficult working with the KSA because we really didn’t know how to deal with the KSA, like how funding worked . . . So now, working with the KSA, I’m hoping to get on the student life committee [and] possibly streamlining the process for clubs to be created, which was a bigger issue a year or so ago. It has gotten better now.”

“What I’ve done from before is I’ve created a lot of events and more of an atmosphere. I’ve done some multicultural events. My next focus is definitely going to be more on the business side, and to create more workshops for students. I’d like an accounting workshop, and business related courses. There are also a lot of events out there already, [I want to] just publicize them still.”

Lovenpreet Pannu Business faculty

Waheed Taiwo Business faculty

Manon Lee Science and Horticulture faculty

Eric Wirsching Science and Horticulture faculty

R&E?

“I really want to have more events and want to encourage more people standing for events, so we can have more competition, and we can have more focus on student life.” “Secondly, I want to have more conferences. I want to engage more business students in more activities, which can make them more professional, and give them more hands on experience on some of the business aspect of working life. We have a career day, so why not have more business booths? Why not encourage more people to do something?”

“There are a lot of things that we can work toward. Number one on my priority list is student engagement. It’s not that we don’t have enough events on campus, but it needs to be diverse in that it caters to everyone’s needs. Because of the nature of the campus, many students have classes that end in the afternoon or evening, so the best way to be able to serve students would be to have events that are at various times during the day.”

“I’m quite new to this, however I’m really keen to learn everything I can do, like my ability to assist the science and horticulture department and the students. I’m going to help them in any way I can by educating myself. I plan to keep this open communication between the students and myself so I can help adjust their needs, so they can be the best they can be. It’s a little vague right now, but I’ll do anything I can for them.”

“It depends if I retake my vicepresident position. If I don’t, want I want to do is chair a committee. Probably student life, that would make sense, if I wasn’t the V-P. I’d like to take active positions on other committees. I’d like to do some outreach to science and horticulture students to get their perspective.” “I’m totally open to altering my plans and whatnot, based on how everyone fits in together, because we have one big job to do. Everyone brings with them their own specialties and expertise to the table, so I look forward to working cohesively with everyone else.”

“What do you think about the election results?

Let us know @runnermag”

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March 10 / 2015

Election results Campus representativies

Surrey (1 position)

Cloverdale yes

Morgan MCKee

219 No

Richmond yes

Chanel Kwong

250 No

Tashi BarungTsang

yes

111

Abdul kulan

yes

100

Scott mossop

yes

Vikramijit saggu

yes

Faculty representativies Arts (4 positions)

Business (4 positions)

Victoria fraser

yes

79 No

Manpreet Bassi

yes

73 No

Simon massey

yes

78 No

Simranjit (Simran) goraya

yes

60 No

alex mcgowan

yes

87 No

lovenpreet pannu

yes

68 No

tanvir singh

yes

83 No

waheed A. Taiwo

yes

66 No

Community and Health yes

Janice Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;souza

17 No

Design 02

Allison Gonzalez

Aboriginal students yes

Justin Bige

96 No

yes

133 No

karanjot dhillon

yes

126 No

yes

138 No

queer students 75

kayla england

students with disabilities kimberley mcmartin

27 No

international students

mature students micheal morris

yes

112 No

women students 57

chelsea scott

yes

156 No

science and horticulture (2 positions)

Students of color (1 position) Daniel ali

yes

tobekile mpofu

yes

Manon lee

yes

39 No

al-hasan rashid

yes

Eric Wirsching

yes

38 No

Features

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March 10 / 2015

Return to Roots

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Ashala Daniels

Farm School comes out of new partnership between Tsawwassen First Nation and KPU.

Awais Mushtaq Contributor

The agricultural landscape is one of the most recognizable features about the Lower Mainland and to many who resides here it is also a place juxtaposed with rapid development. British Columbia’s agricultural canvas is one where the developed bleeds into the rural, while at the same time offering a stark contrast in the form of abandoned plots and rusting machinery. However, this isn’t the future vision for agricultural lands south of the Fraser, due to a recent partnership between Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Institute for Sustainable Food Systems and the Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN). The first of its kind, the pilot project farm school is a 10-month practicum training program that takes place on a 20-acre working farm leased from TFN to KPU. They currently have 16 students set to start in the spring, and 10 of those are from the TFN. “The discussion started in 2009 when TFN signed the treaty with the government which meant that they gained control over their land and became their own municipality,” says Corine Singfield, farm manager and coordinator for the TFN farm school. Her introduction to establishing the school began very early, just as TFN recovered large areas of traditional territory and expressed a desire to use it as farm business after researching agricultural land use plans. “But there was a lack of training or knowledge of agriculture in the community,” she says. “And so they researched a little bit about how they could seal that gap and they learned about the Richmond farm school.” The Richmond farm school, which was established in 2010, is really what’s giving inspiration for the TFN farm school in 2015. In many ways the two schools are quite similar as they both offer students a combination of hands-on field training, and classroom theory by half a dozen different

professionals from all subfields within agriculture. Professors and farmers alike teach different program components. “The program is 85 per cent hands-on so a lot of the teaching happens in the field

“Sustainable food and farming systems are everybody’s business, and all communities need to be knowledgeable about it, participate in it and support it.” but we’ll also have a classroom . . . where the background of knowledge will happen,” says Singfield. “But most of it will happen in the field, and there’s also a 400-hour practicum component to the program where the students are going to go from planting the seeds all the way to market.” The components themselves range from fruit production, taught by ISFS director Dr. Kent Mullinix, to animal husbandry, to farm business planning. According to Singfield these programs give students the opportunity to “Hone their farming skills . . . so by having access to all the resources in terms of networking, market selections that the farm has established and using the tools that are available, by the end they have a better idea of what kind of farm business they want to start.” The infrastructure for the TFN farm was established throughout last summer, including all the planning that goes into making it operational such as water irrigation and drainage systems that allow for the property to be used as an incubator farm, which Springfield describes as “a place where graduates from the program get their piece of land for a nominal rental fee for up to four years.” However, there are two major distinctions between the schools notes Mullinix, who was also a part of the initial conversation around the partnership. “In Richmond, the market farm is not a Kwantlen farm, it’s a NGO farm [sharing farm] that grows food for the food bank. With the TFN farm school, we are establishing the

market farm . . . as an instructional venue that we take responsibility for.” The second unique feature about the TFN farm is that the curriculum focuses on combining indigenous food system perspectives with sustainable agriculture. For Singfield this means really “valuing and bringing back some of the traditions around food, like the blessing of food or the preserving of food, looking at our food system not just in terms of agriculture but also in terms making medicines with plants.” As Mullinix explains, “The indigenous perspective has a great deal to contribute to and inform the thinking around sustainable food systems . . . there is also lot of community and economic development opportunities in this kind of farming.” Terry Baird, the employment coordinator for TFN who got involved later on in the partnership, helped sign people up for the project from both TFN and KPU’s Institute for Sustainable Food Systems. There was a need to address issues between them, most notably

“The indigenous perspective has a great deal to contribute to and inform the thinking around sustainable food systems . . . there is also lot of community and economic development opportunities in this kind of farming.” in regard to funding and “who’s paying for what sort of stuff,” according to Baird. “TFN and Kwantlen have contributed the funding equally for the project and TFN is bringing in a whole bunch of resources. [They’re] using it for the community and basically [are] involved in the project via a steering committee,” says Singfield. The steering committee meets every two weeks to discuss the direction of the farm school. Because the land has not been farmed in quite some time, Baird notes that, “There were no skills left here at TFN to farm with . . . [it’s been] over 30 years since anybody from TFN has farmed, probably longer.” “We thought it would be valuable to

our members who want to farm some of the TFN lands,” says Baird. TFN’s goal is to allow its members to not only learn how to farm, but to also become self-sustaining in the process. For Baird, this is a good opportunity for “Students to learn how to farm and is recommended to anyone. It’s going to be a real fun learning program.” “We hope in time the farm school will become a community hub where a lot of activities around farming, food and community will occur . . . an integral element of the Tsawwassen First Nations community,” says Mullinix. This involves incorporating both the elderly and younger generations within the school’s activities. “Sustainable food and farming systems are everybody’s business, and all communities need to be knowledgeable about it, participate in it and support it.” The TFN farm also impressively boasts an 80-hectare property, while comparatively the Richmond farm is only four-and-a-halfacre incubator plots. “Now we have a little bit more potential to grow and a little bit more capacity in Tsawwassen,” adds Singfield. “But that’s going to change because Kwantlen is working on a agreement with the City of Richmond to acquire 40-acres in the garden city lands by Richmond campus, and that’s where the incubator plots are going to be later on. But that’s a future project.” Singfield points out that this multi-year agreement is important because of our need for farmland. The larger goal in the ISFS is to advance sustainable farming and food production in southwest B.C. It’s a proposition dependent on human intensive and community-focused engagement, which challenges the contemporary system of agriculture that seeks to eliminate people from the process. This is the “premier challenge for humanity” as Mullinix puts it: sustainable farming initiatives such as this farm school will hopefully be reflective of the stewardship and support of both communities, and the future of agriculture.

Ashala Daniels

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Features

March 10 / 2015

Have a

story

I Hope You Dance Inclusive burlesque scene grows in Lower Mainland.

Kyle Prince Contributor

“Burlesque is important to me because it makes me feel fantastic and sexy, and I love to dance,” says Mariah Dear, who recently became involved with the burlesque community. “You can’t really do it wrong, everyone cheers for you and you feel great, no matter what you’re doing. It’s a really good feeling for me.” Burlesque is a lot of things to a lot of people. Most can see it as a fun outing promoting sexuality, positive body images, and even comedy, while others look down on it with a more sexnegative outlook. However it’s viewed, there’s been a noticeable upswing in support for the burlesque scene in Vancouver in recent years. Dear took a burlesque class through Screaming Chickens Theatrics Society last fall, and has already performed in a show. “It seems like a great way to improve body confidence,” she says. “...There’s no kind of rule as to how much dance experience you have to have for burlesque. You start from the beginning and work your way up and it gives you body confidence.” “[It’s] a vintage form of strip tease that combines dance, comedy, theatre and stripping,” says Lola Frost, co-owner of the Vancouver Burlesque School. Frost claims that burlesque is an activity which typically attracts openminded and accepting individuals, making it a “really great, body-positive, inclusive community. We have all ages, body types and skill levels, and that’s really created a place where women and men can come together to celebrate a very empowered industry.” After seeing a burlesque performance in-person, it would be hard to disagree with Frost. The performers always seem to enjoy themselves and are committed to making sure the audience is having a great time as well. The routines balance themselves well between the roots of burlesque and more upbeat, modern numbers. Frost has been involved with burlesque for 10 years now, and she participates in

/ Monica Mah Contributor

all aspects of the industry—performing, producing, instructing, and mentoring. She dedicates herself to helping those who are new to the community, but can also guide the more experienced members as well. Burlesque is fundamentally a do-it-yourself industry—you can do as much or as little as you’d like. Some people show up for a few classes just to have fun, others will make a living out of it. The majority fall somewhere in-between. “You can have people that just want to take a few classes and maybe do a show, then there’s the community tier that does a few shows and maybe helps out at shows. Then there’s the professional level where people make a living out of it, like myself where I travel the world and run a school,” Frost explains. Unfortunately, along with the inclusive communities and general support for burlesque, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Our society definitely has a stigma surrounding stripping of any kind, and it’s felt within the burlesque community. While they see it as an art form, there is a significant amount of people who don’t seem to be on the same page. However, as Frost tells people in and outside of burlesque, “Society is going to have stigmas no matter what. So it’s our job as educators and professional performers to educate people on what value and merit of our work.” When Frost first started working in the Vancouver burlesque industry, there were only a few troupes, with three or four shows a year. Fast forward to 2015 and there are several monthly shows and schools that the public can attend, plus much more interest and a growing number of troupes throughout the Lower Mainland. “I think that about 99 per cent of the time burlesque has an incredibly powerful and positive effect on people,” says Frost. “It lets people create art that is a little more obscure and very sex positive. For the last 20 years, body image has been a way to keep down women, and bur-

nedtobin.fotographtx

lesque is working to unravel that by making people empowered through self-image.” The Cheesecake Burlesque Revue recently went on tour to Surrey, and it was my first-ever burlesque show. It blew me away. It took parts of the traditional burlesque and put a modern twist into the routines. Their website claims to have “More laughs, more tease, and more body confidence,” and they couldn’t be more accurate. I laughed harder during this show than I have during some stand-up comedy hours. It’s also providing a powerful message of loving yourself for the skin you’re in. The women were self-aware, funny, strong, beautiful and confident. For Dear, burlesque is “kind of funny because there’s no definition. I would say that burlesque is usually getting up on stage, removing your clothing while dancing around and having a blast. Often it gets hilarious with funny props or dance numbers. There are no real parameters for burlesque in my mind.” She too has come across negative attitudes surrounding burlesque. “Some people see it as a cheap way to earn money which I don’t agree with,” she says. Instead, she looks to the positive aspects of the industry and community, which promotes inclusivity and body positivity, and just generally being happy with what you’re doing. “I think that a lot of people are becoming more open to getting themselves out there and trying it themselves. I think that a lot of people are becoming more open to what body types can be seen as sexy too because I know when I first went with some friends there were some larger women, and tiny women. At first it was weird, but then they were like, ‘yeah this is great.’ We should appreciate all bodies.” There are plenty of positive aspects to the community surrounding burlesque in Vancouver. The rising popularity of the art shows the progressive nature of our society and the shift towards accepting what people enjoy doing, especially when they can put on such a great show. “I think that everybody should try it,” says Dear. “I don’t think anyone should feel embarrassed about dancing around.” nedtobin.fotographtx

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March 10 / 2015

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Culture

March 10 / 2015

The Vagina Monologues become...interactive! UBC’s newest production of the Vag Mons improves upon an old script.

Victoria Fraser

Trigger warning: Article discusses sexual assault.

Performing the Vagina Monologues has become a yearly tradition at UBC, and it’s meant to educate audiences about vaginas, raise awareness about sexual assault, and help raise donations for various charities. This year’s sales went to the Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) at UBC, Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW) and the Downtown Eastside Women’s Shelter. For those who haven’t seen the Vagina Monologues, here’s a taste of it: almost every character moans (some for five minutes); one reclaims the word CUNT; and of course, one finds her clitoris with a hand mirror. It’s a well-known play since its debut, and like many in attendance, I’ve seen it before. That said, the director and organizers brought several new and interactive elements to the play. After purchasing my ticket and eyeing the chocolate vulva pops, I entered the room to find an array of stations. On one side was a photobooth with Polaroid cameras and a table for SASC which gave away condoms and lube. To the right were posters about oppression, a craft station where the audience can make their very own stress ball and a free tea station. While this level of interactivity was a new and appreciated element for those in attendance, the stations were poorly manned and it was unclear if we were supposed to make our own stress ball, take camera selfies, or steal the tea. When I finished exploring the room, drinking tea, and chatting up strangers, lights dimmed and the play began. Initially, it was hard to hear some of the actors due to the lack of microphones and energy which caused them to speed through some lines. Thankfully the technological troubles did not affect the other performers as they projected their voices to compensate. A few actors were also a bit too melodramatic and shouted their lines quickly and too loudly, which made it difficult to understand. Two of my favourite monologues had neither of these problems—one woman had a surprisingly good experience with a man, and the

other was angry about tampons, PAP tests, and vaginal douches (the scented wipes to make your vagina smell “better,” not your elementary school’s cruel P.E. teacher). Both actresses were passionate about their topic and delivered the lines with perfect pacing and made use of the entire stage. More importantly, I felt like they were having a personal conversation with me rather than performing on stage. Another memorable monologue was a very heavy piece about rape. The two actresses used the stage well and their embodiment of the characters contrasted perfectly. Afterward, we joined a woman as she recounted memories about her life and her conflicting feelings towards her “coochie snorcher.” Again, the actress took her time and embodied every memory differently; without makeup or costumes I could see the actress age in each memory through the use of her body.

In a beautifully poetic voice, one actor led the group monologue that mesmerized the audience. Then, just when I thought the play was over, a dance number began to a spoken word poem and song written by Jillian Christmas and Chelsea Johnson. A few actors were lagging and you could see the panic on their faces when they forgot a move, but overall, it was a beautiful piece to a beautiful poem and song. When asked what the inspiration for the finale was the

director, Giselle Miller, replied, “When I signed up as a director I automatically knew that I wanted to incorporate some dance or spoken word, something that I do in my own spare time.” This finale was a beautiful piece and achieved her goal of bring more originality to the play. I left feeling more empowered about my pussy, and more curious about what it looks like. I recommend the show to everyone no matter their age, gender, or if they’ve seen it before.

Hailey Logan

The Foreigner Feels Out of Touch The Arts Centre’s latest play hits and misses.

Jessica Brynelson Contributor

The Foreigner, which premiered at the

Ron Reed

Surrey Arts Centre on Feb. 18 had a beautiful rustic set design that was quite intricate. However, it remained unchanged throughout the play, which ended up making the production feel a bit static. As to be expected with any play, some characters were more likeable than others. The elderly owner of the lodge, Betty, was excellently portrayed and was arguably one of the funniest characters. She was so infatuated with Charlie because he was a foreigner and she had never met anyone from another country before. One of the running jokes

throughout the play was based on the simple truth that many people will tend to speak loudly at those who don’t speak the same language as them under some strange delusion that it will help them to understand. I found it quite funny because there have been times that I have personally done this while attempting to overcome a language barrier. You really don’t see how absurd it is until it’s presented in a hyperbolic manner. Though it was fascinating to watch Charlie grow throughout the play in his quest to find a personality, and while there were some good laughs, ultimately they were overshadowed by a largely racist plot to eradicate the foreigners and create a white America. Also, at the butt of many jokes was a good-natured, mentally slow character named Ellard which

left me feeling rather uncomfortable. I understand that having a variety of dynamic characters is necessary to any good plot. However, the writing of this play did nothing more than come off as blatantly racist and insensitive to those with mental disabilities. The main concept of the play—Charlie being conned into pretending to be a foreigner— was quite entertaining, with the protagonist’s made-up language and strange customs. It did have its merits and the cast and director did an amazing job interpreting the script. However, it was rather controversial and there were more than a few jokes and scenes that could leave some viewers feeling offended. If you do decide to check out this play, be prepared to take some of the jokes with a grain of salt…or maybe a whole bucket.

Culture

The Runner

March 10 / 2015

feminist publication coming to KPU

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Mark Stewart

New platform for women’s voices hitting stands this spring.

Torin Slik Contributor

Women Organizing Opportunities for Women: A Feminist Publication is the newest publication being implemented for the students of Kwantlen. “One of my main goals during my time at Kwantlen was to create a larger platform for women’s voices and to have feministorientated discussion,” says Jessica Lar-Son, president and women’s representative for the Kwantlen Student Association. When talking about women’s issues, feminism, and gender equality, Lar-Son says there is a lot of misinformation out there, and there are a lot of people who don’t fully understand the complexities of the subject. The aim of WOOW: a Feminist Publication is to bring awareness to the students and staff at Kwantlen, and to give a voice to self-identified women.

Up until now, the focus on women’s issues has been fairly neglected in terms of academic study. Currently, Kwantlen does not have a dedicated women’s study program for people to enroll in. Lar-Son hopes this will change in the future. “Kwantlen is a smaller university,” she says. “I think that [a women’s studies program] is one of those things where we might continue in that direction and maybe, certain years from now, we will have something like that on our campus.” Having the proper representation of any group has always been a strong mandate at Kwantlen. Every student, regardless of race, religion, gender, or any other unique qualities, should have a voice. According to Lar-Son, WOOW: A Feminist Publication is another step to further this idea. “Anyone from an underrepresented group should be better represented,” she

says. “Women are a group that are being underrepresented. Therefore, I’m using this publication to better represent them.” The word feminism is often misunderstood, with many people attaching a slightly different meaning to it. Not all of these meanings are positive in nature, and some people will use the word as a negative label rather than an empowering movement. “Feminism, to me, is more centered around the idea of gender equality,” Lar-Son agrees, “and so, our publication will be centred around that idea of inclusion and gender equality.” Along with the misunderstood connotation of the word feminism, the concept of gender also gets confused with sex. “The feminine and the female are completely different things,” she said. “So, femininity is a performed gender trait. Whereas female is a biological sex. Sex is biological. Gender is something you identify as.”

This difference is important. It’s is the type of thing that WOOW: A Feminist Publication aims to educate people on. In order to have open discussions on feminist topics among the student base, it’s critical for people to have a clear understanding of what they’re talking about. “These are the things I want people to understand better . . . I encounter quite a lot of students and educated individuals who don’t really have an understanding of that,” she says. “Everyone . . . should understand that sex and gender are not the same thing.” “People on this campus are really passionate about social justice and inclusivity, and I think that this is something that goes along with it,” says Lar-Son. “I think that really what needs to be highlighted is the fact that we have constituency reps for a reason. We need to have a feminist publication for a reason.” WOOW: A Feminist Publication is expected to arrive near the end of the spring semester.

When should you read The Runner?

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The Runner

Culture

March 10 / 2015

Roland Nguyen

The Art of Fast Gaming Speed runs are becoming the Olympic competition of video games.

Torin Slik Contributor

Who would have thought a person could earn the title of Grand Master in a video game? For Kevin Birrell, this has become a reality—and more, Birrell’s recent achievement is all the more meaningful because he is the first person to do it who wasn’t Japanese. So, what did he do to earn such a prestigious and awe-inspiring rank? He won a game of Tetris. Tetris is a game most everyone has heard of, even if they are not gamers. The object of the game is to control blocks of different shapes and colours to the bottom of the screen. When an entire horizontal row of blocks is created, that row is eliminated. As the levels get higher, the blocks start dropping faster and faster. This gives the player less time to place the blocks where they want them to be.

It should be noted that Birrell didn’t just beat any version of the game Tetris. The version he beat was Tetris: The Grand Master, and he did it on the highest difficulty possible. Imagine trying to play the game when the blocks turn invisible the very moment you place them. You have to stack the blocks and eliminate the layers based purely on your own memory, as fast as humanly possible. That is exactly what Birrell had to do. Not only did he beat the game, he beat it in an incredible seven-and-a-half minutes. That’s freakishly fast. In total, there are only five other people in the world who have achieved the rank of Grand Master. Speed running is becoming a very popular mindset for people who play video games. The idea of a speed run is to complete the game as quickly as possible. In order to do this, people usually have to play one game over and over again, often for years on end, in order to memorize the most

efficient way from beginning to end. Recently, a new record has been set for Ocarina of Time, one of the more well known and intricate games in the Legend of Zelda series, by Joel Ekman. His new record is set at an astounding 18 minutes and seven seconds. The previous record, set by Cosmo Wright, was 18 minutes and 10 seconds. That there’s a three-second difference between world records which shows not only the precision that is needed to complete a game, but also the intense and heated competition between players. In order to complete games like this so quickly, people have to skip a lot of game content. Players will find all the shortcuts, memorize all the puzzles, skip all unnecessary locations or quests, and often exploit game mechanics that were improperly designed. The purpose of speed runs is to compete with other speed runners for the lowest time possible in the game they are playing. Just as athletes compete to have the best times and

Flaws with the Oscars Members of the Academy may not be as reliable as you may think.

Daniella Javier Contributor

Leading up to the 87th Academy Awards on Feb. 22, the Hollywood Reporter released a series of interviews with the Oscar voters. While some of the voters’ ballots are balanced, the majority of them reveal biased opinions towards many of the nominees. Many of them are also lacking knowledge on some of the films and vote for certain nominees for seemingly illogical reasons. According to an article by Variety, this year’s Oscars have been called a “white wash”: after all, 20 of the acting nominations went to white actors, with snubs including Selma actor David Oyelowo and director Ava Duvernay. There was a lot of speculation as to why they were not nominated for “Best Actor” and “Best Director.” Many people think this snub is due to their race and the fact that the majority of voters are caucasian. As revealed in THR, however, Oscar Ballot Five’s voter said that race had nothing to do with these snubs, and that sometimes movies resonate with people and sometimes they just don’t. Even if race may not be an overt issue with the voting process, there still seems to be a lot of biased opinions coming from the voters. A few voters are keen on Michael Keaton’s work in Birdman. Ballot One’s voter revealed that they loved Keaton simply because he seems like a sane person and is grateful. The thing that seems odd about this ballot is that the voter doesn’t believe that Keaton will ever get the chance to win an Oscar again and should win this time. Ballot Five also said they’ve never seen someone so grateful

and humble for an opportunity to be nominated, and that’s why Keaton should win. These voters shouldn’t really be commenting on the nominee’s personality and chances of winning. It doesn’t seem appropriate, because they should be focusing more on the performances, and not what they like about the individual. If this is what influences their votes, then the Academy’s voters aren’t voting fairly. The voter in Ballot Six was the only one who excluded their opinions of nominees and voted for the performances. The other voters aren’t separating the performances from their opinions of the actors or films. For example, the voter in Ballot Number Two didn’t vote for Keaton or Cumberbatch for “Best Actor” because they didn’t like those films. The actors’ performances should still be considered, regardless of whether the voter liked the movie or not. Julianne Moore won “Best Actress” for her role Still Alice, but Ballot Number Five’s voter thought the movie was depressing, so they didn’t vote for her. It’s evident that some Oscar voters are also voting for some films because they haven’t seen anything else in the category, which also contributes to an unfair voting process. For instance, Ballot Three didn’t see everything in the “Best Foreign-Language Film” category, so they just voted for Ida. Even though they thought the film was excellent, their vote may not reflect the best film in the category. As a result, Hollywood and moviegoers won’t be aware of the other films that could have received the vote instead. The members who don’t view all of the films, or in certain cases, any of the films, should abstain from voting. Other voters have picked a certain film be-

cause they really liked it or because they thought it looked “cool,” which isn’t a logical reason to vote for something. In fact, Ballot Number Three voted for Guardians of the Galaxy because they wanted to recognize it in a category. Hopefully these Academy members have better judgement elsewhere because they don’t seem to have it in the voting process. It’s important that these voters make wise decisions when they vote. If they cannot do that, then we can’t trust them.

Roland Nguyen

performances in sports, so too do gamers compete to have the best times in video games. Awesome Games Done Quick (AGDQ) is a winter marathon event where players raise money by speedrunning games live at the event. This money is always given to charity. Birrell recently demonstrated his Tetris skills by participating in this marathon, and his performance has been described as “incredibly impressive.” This year, the money raised by AGDQ was donated to the Prevent Cancer Foundation. The final amount was totaled at $1,575,000. That’s a lot of money for a bunch of players demonstrating their quick gaming skills. It just goes to show that, like anything in life, dedication and practice goes a long way. There are people who will bash the idea of playing video games as a legitimate way to contribute to society. However, the Prevent Cancer Foundation would be $1.5-million poorer without them.

Culture

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March 10 / 2015

Shadows Come to Life in Surrey

City of Surrey

Beijing Shadow Play arrives at the Centre Stage.

Torin Slik Contributor

Ancient tales and children’s fables came to life when the world-renowned Chinese Shadow Troupe entertained audiences in Surrey. On Feb. 20 and 21, a celebration of Chinese New Year was held at Centre Stage in Surrey City Hall. The celebration consisted of several local groups performing various dances and singing, as well as the famed Chinese Shadow Troupe. The master of ceremony, John Donnelly, explained that some of the members of the shadow troupe had been performing for over thirty years, and even the least experienced performer had at least five years under their belt. The local groups who performed first showcased their mastery of dancing and singing as well. Dancers as young as the age of five captivated the audience with their talent. The shadow play was a spectacle in itself.

A giant white screen was placed in the centre of the stage where the performers stood behind it. It was lit up by white light, but the performers were standing back far enough that the audience couldn’t see them through the translucent glow. Brightly coloured puppets, mounted on poles, were placed against the screen for the audience to see. They moved across the screen to imitate various scenes. Donnelly had described the performance beforehand as “the world’s first movies.” He certainly was not wrong. One of the most fascinating things about the shadow troupe’s performance was the unbelievable articulation in the puppets’ joints and limbs. In one of the performances there was a crane, the movements of which were so lifelike that it was hard to remember it was simply a puppet on screen. Each wing was fully capable of moving on its own. The long neck could arc and bend all the way around. Even the eyeballs could move independently.

In total, there were three performances by the shadow troupe. The first performance recreated a classic Chinese children’s tale about a tortoise and a crane. It was a tale of bullying, something very relevant to the children of today. In the end, the smarts of the tortoise outwitted the dominance of the crane. It looks like the hare isn’t the only animal to be bested by the tortoise. The second performance was also a classic story in Chinese culture. This story was about two best friends: a monkey and a panda bear. It depicted their adventures and all the trouble they got into. However, no matter how bad things seemed, their friendship always saw them through. The final performance was slightly different. Unlike the first two, which were standalone stories, the final performance was an excerpt from a larger play. The play was Journey to the West, which was originally a published Chinese novel in the 16th century.

Keith Harris

Pop Music: Recycling or Plagiarism? When you can’t get all of those tunes out of your head.

Chris Yee Contributor

Have you ever felt a vague, unplaceable

sense of deja vu when you’re listening to some song? Probably. Now imagine the same thing, only the person experiencing that sense of recognition wants royalties, or at least credit, for the song that he or she wrote. Recently, British singer-songwriter Sam Smith weighed in on his copyright dispute with Tom Petty over Smith’s song “Stay With Me”, lifting

the melody from Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down”. Smith told the CBC’s Ian Hanomansing that it “was a complete accident” and that, at 22, he had “Never listened to that song.” Smith and Petty settled the dispute out of court. Daniel Kreps of Rolling Stone reported Smith’s representative as saying that the settlement was “an immediate and amicable agreement in which Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne are now credited as co-writers of “Stay With Me” along with Sam Smith, James Napier and William Phillips.” However, Kreps added that it was “unclear whether Petty and Lynne were retroactively

compensated for their songwriting credit or if they’ll receive future earnings on the track.” So how inevitable is it that riffs and melodies from one song turn up in another by “accident?” Very much so, especially in the world of popular music, according to the Guardian’s Ben Wardle. Weighing in on the imbroglio that emerged between Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Joe Satriani and Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens) over Coldplay’s 2009 track “Viva La Vida,”—which saw Satriani claiming that Coldplay’s song cribbed notes from his 2004 song “If I Could Fly” and Islam in turn accusing Satriani of copying his 1973 opus,

The scene performed was The White Bone Demon. In the story, the protagonists are confronted by a demon who disguised himself as a beautiful woman. This scene was the transformation. In addition to being an excerpt, this performance differed in that it made use of different lighting techniques to imply magic. There were laser dots and flashes of colour. Also, this was the first performance by the shadow troupe that incorporated dialogue. The audience of the Beijing Art Troupe consisted of people of all ages—there was just as many children there as there were adults. Despite a child’s shortened attention span, the shadow play held their attention for the full duration of the performance. The celebration of Chinese New Year is, of course, very popular. Donnelly said it was an absolute honour to have the troupe come all the way out from China to perform for audiences in Surrey.

“Foreigner Suite”—Wardle says this: “But ultimately, shouldn’t a song be allowed to exist on its own merit? As the cliche goes: talent borrows, genius steals—and pop music has always been a den of thieves.” Not only that, it’s not even thievery, really—or says notable Canadian music critic Alan Cross. Writing in Metro, Cross says that with “only so many ways to place the notes of the Western Scale in a pleasing melodic order, this sort of thing happens all the time”—and as such, settlements such as the one between Sam Smith and Tom Petty are common practice. “So the next time you hear a song that sounds like one you’ve heard before, don’t start screaming about ripoffs,” Cross concludes. “Chances are everyone involved has long been compensated.” This is not to say that out-and-out appropriation doesn’t exist or matter. After all, what else can you call the sort of serial plagiarism perpetrated by the likes of Led Zeppelin (look it up), or actual, blatant cultural appropriation? Then again, even the line between that and legitimate quotation or inspiration isn’t very well defined. And then there’s sampling, where the main issues involved are fair use and the artistic intention behind the use of musical ideas from existing recordings. Ever since the ‘80s, when samplers and sampled music started proliferating, these have been issues that have been expounded upon by legal types, including free culture advocate Lawrence Lessig. Sometimes, even the doctrine of fair use hasn’t stopped litigious artists (or their representatives) from going after other artists who sample their music. Just ask sound collagists Negativland, whose 1991 U2 EP was taken off store shelves after U2’s then-label Island Records sued for infringement and misleading advertising. With those facts in mind, let’s have Wardle have the last word: “And that’s surely in the spirit of popular music, which is, after all, folk music—it belongs to everyone.”

March 10 / 2015

Danielle George

The Runner

The “F” Word

Deconstructing the most feminist country in the world.

Columnist

If you Google “the most feminist country in the world,” the top searches will drop you square in Iceland, a decision that, at first glance, certainly feels appropriate. Their prime minister as of 2009, Johanna Sigurðardóttir, is an open lesbian who identi-

fies as a feminist. Sigurðardóttir was listed under Forbes’ 100 Most Powerful Women in the world. With Sigurðardóttir as head of state, the Icelandic government has a very prominent feminine power within its system. Iceland is also the first in the world to make decisions on laws within the government based on feminist principles. Approximately half of the members of the parliament are female, which makes them stand

Danielle George

Aileen Tran

Going Global My Big Fat Greek Debt.

Tristan Johnston Columnist

In January, Greece held a federal election, resulting in the ascension of the Coalition of the Radical Left, also known as “Syriza.” Alexis Tsipras, the leader of the party, has vowed to abandon austerity measures, which are extremely unpopular in his country and run contrary to the previous government. Currently, the Greeks are receiving bailout money from the European Union (EU). If this were to continue, Greece would be bound

to maintain austerity measures, meaning an increase in taxes and major cuts to spending. Opposition to austerity is so great that from 2010 to 2012, there was an especially high amount of protest in Athens and in other Greek cities. The people of Greece were then, and now, experiencing a huge amount of unemployment and large cuts to their social services. Greece’s unemployment has hovered around 25 per cent for the last two years. The EU doesn’t want Greece to leave, because it would embolden other countries to leave, further reducing confidence in the union. However, if the EU were to make a compromise for Greece, then Spain, Portu-

fourth place out of 130 countries on the international gender gap index, after Sweden, Finland and Norway. Because Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland and other neighbouring countries criminalizing strip clubs, brothels, and any sales that involve nudity, they were praised for their the “feminist” progresses. As Sigurðardóttir herself states, “The Nordic countries are leading the way on women’s equality, recognizing women as equal citizens rather than commodities for sale.” According to the Icelandic Human Rights Center, a poll in 2007 showed that 70 per cent of Icelanders were in favour of criminalizing the buying of sex and banning businesses from profiting from nudity. While Iceland and those other Nordic countries have come a long way to promote feminism and female empowerment into their society and government system, the specific “feminist” principles that they are endorsing are a long way from perfect. An important concept that true feminism promotes is sex-positivity, so an attempt to stop all sex work actually oppresses those who live and love the sex industry. While I do understand that there is the issue of human sex-traﬃcking and people being forced into this lifestyle because of things like drug abuse and poverty, there are ways to prevent that while still allowing voluntary sex workers to continue their lifestyle. There is an assumption that many brothels are fronts for human sex-traﬃcking, but maybe if sex workers and brothel managements were given regulations with consistent inspections, like any other normal businesses these fronts would be taken down while keeping safe brothels running. Getting rid of brothels will put sex workers on the streets, where they have to avoid authori-

gal and Ireland, whom are all undergoing diﬃcult economic climates, would ask why Greece gets to be an exception. A compromise could also be bad for Syriza, who had promised that no more austerity would take place. A move like this could reduce their legitimacy and further strengthen Golden Dawn, whom are already extremely anti-EU. The Greek population has been very divided throughout history, but perhaps especially in the last several years. Though Syriza, a radical-left party, won with 36.3 per cent of the vote, centre-right party New Democracy had 27.8 per cent of the vote and Golden Dawn—considered by many to be neo-Nazi—won 6.3 per cent of the vote. Of course, one can’t discuss Greece without also discussing the 2008 financial crisis. This is not the first time that Greece has been in default, they also experienced it in 1826-1842, 1843-1859, 1860-1878, 1894-1897 and 1932-1964. When considering the geography of Greece, it becomes easier to understand why they have a hard time paying their taxes. The country is extremely mountainous and is made up of several small islands. Because of this, development and welfare is very difficult to distribute. Building and maintaining infrastructure is extremely expensive. In addition to this, tax evasion is practically the national sport of the Greeks. In 2009, an OECD report estimated that $36-billion (USD) in taxes weren’t paid. Many of these taxes were supposed to come from lawyers, doctors and engineers. While having a country made up of steep mountains is diﬃcult for taxation and infrastructure, it’s extremely good for defense. Going back into history, it’s clear that Greece can thank its terrain for many feats. While the movie 300 was extremely dramatized, it was somewhat accurate in the sense that a few Greeks could hold off a military several times larger, using the defensible terrain to their advantage. The Ottoman Empire also attempted to occupy

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ties because of the law—so they are pushed into backstreets to deal with aggressors alone. The goal to reduce the demands of buying sex is a bit farfetched—after all, it is known as “the world’s oldest profession.” It does seem that most of Iceland stands behind the banning of selling sex; however, if you break down the 70 per cent, only 57 per cent of men support the law, while a whopping 83 per cent of women do. So why do only a little over half of men support this law? While there are female sex buyers, most sex buyers are men—a shocker, I know. The 43 per cent will most likely keep the demands up high enough for the sex industry to continue on existing with or without the criminalization. And if not in Iceland, then clients will travel a bit further to neighbouring countries like the Netherlands and Denmark, where it is legal to buy sex. So really, these countries criminalizing prostitution aren’t really getting rid of the sex industry and depleting sex demands, but rather relocating it. While I do understand trying to diminish the concept that women are nothing more than sexual objects, I believe it is a right for women to choose to be sexual subjects. Some may find it to be degrading, but many women actually find empowerment within the sex industry. If a woman wants and enjoys profiting from using her body through sexual services, then she should have the rights to do so. To get rid of the sex industry would cause a negative impact on many people’s sexual freedom and expression. While I do applaud Iceland and other Nordic countries for their strong feminine presence within their government and strong stance on gender equality, both socially and economically, I do not consider their decision to criminalize the sex industry to be a true feminist choice.

Charis Au

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Greece; while they did control the cities, Ottoman forces were constantly prodded at by Klephts who normally hid in the mountains. Of course, if invaders have a hard time controlling Greece, it should be unsurprising to know that Greece has a hard time controlling itself. Ancient Greece was united in a cultural sense, but was more like a series of city-states with Athens acting as the seat of confederation. Another fact to consider is Greece’s proximity to Turkey and former Soviet states. During the Cold War, Greece was a strategic ally of the United States. To this day, Greece hosts a few NATO bases, and has some of the best air force pilots in the world. However, their military expenses are extremely high, and this has become a problem for the Greeks after the end of the Cold War, when the United States was funding their navy and airforce. Ultimately, Greece has had a hard time paying for things they can’t afford. As for the new leadership of Alexis Tsipras, it’s diﬃcult to predict the future. Syriza has never been in power, but the change could be noticeable, given that New Democracy, a centre-right party, has been in power for the duration of the economic crisis.

Columns

The Runner

March 10 / 2015

Video Game Logic

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Danielle George

Besiege provides medieval building opportunities.

Kyle Prince Columnist

Have you ever dreamed of rolling up to a castle and tearing it apart? Have you ever wanted to face an army of knights head on? How about helping a farmer gather obscenely large bits of iron? You can have all of this and more with Besiege. Besiege is a medieval physics sandbox centered around siege engines, which in layman’s terms means you can build anything you put your mind to. Starting with a single block, you assemble your next miracle of engineering to complete a given task. The

fun part comes when you get the basics down and start getting creative. Catapults, trebuchets, flying bombers, and even fully functional, reloadable ballistae—all of these have been made within the community, so I can only imagine what people will come up with once it leaves its alpha stage. For those who don’t know, when a game is in alpha stage it means it’s still in development, and has a growing community of people testing it out—or in my case, seeing what’s been accomplished so far. And so far, it’s a lot. The options provided by the variety of pieces available is impressive to say the least. The game is really only limited to the amount

of time and effort you’re willing to put into it. While it is similar to other block building, engineering games, it sets itself apart with the medieval theme. The physics and properties of the game pieces really lend themselves to this as well. Just like the period it emulates, most of the work is done through trial and error, which makes it so much more satisfying when something complex actually works. The game was in closed development for quite a while, but since opened to the public there has been a huge influx of interest, and it’s easy to see why. There are options to share your creations within the community, which lets you build on other designs, or just see the

crazy contraptions some people have come up with. Also, just in case you were worried about the authenticity of this game, it was created by two developers living in Southern England, so we can be sure they’ve been around countless years of cities, villages, and country sides steeped in history. That . . . or they’ve seen a few old movies and thought it was cool. Either way, their efforts were not wasted. For just under $8, you can have your very own medieval smash simulator. To put it into perspective, if you’ve played and enjoyed games like Robocraft, Kerbal Space Program, Space Engineers, or other physics based builders, you’ll definitely enjoy Besiege.

Verdict You’re already paying $8 a month for Netflix; the $8 for this game is a one-time payment and gives you enough to justify the charge. Go blow up some castles

“Too white” comments are discriminatory and divisive. CBC Radio Studio Q’s “good radio voice” discussion is flawed.

Dana Miller

The question arose, “Is public radio too white?” on CBC Radio’s “Q” Feb. 13, 2015 radio show. The question of “true diversity” was discussed. The show focused specifically on the “good” radio voice—which is discussed as a “white voice”—and the opinions on the inclusion of accents on radio programs because it may better reflect Canada. Let’s disassemble the question. The CBC Radio discussion on the “good” radio voice, without qualifying the word “good” is flawed. I suggest a “good” radio voice pronounces and articulates the words of a language with clarity regardless of the language or accent spoken, otherwise the listening audience may

have difficulty discerning the meaning. “Too white” is a descriptive phrase discriminating against the colour of a person or group of people. Elimination of the English-accented voice speaking English as “too white” in favour of other accents speaking English would serve to narrowly focus on the colour of people to describe their accents. Given the migratory nature of people, this focus fails. Discrimination is used as a divisive attempt for the intent of leveraging social, economic and cultural influence for securing or maintaining advantageous status, position, power and control. Remove the word white and insert black, brown, red or yellow and my point is substantiated. As you can imagine, any media to suggest someone or something be named by a colour; “too black,” “too brown,” “too red” or “too yel-

low” would correctly result in loud voices proclaiming discrimination, based upon the appearance of skin colour. I say “too white” and it is also a discriminatory phrase. What is “true diversity?” Can diversity be “true” or false? If so, then how is diversity to be measured, quantified or qualified, to be true? What is “diversity?” A diverse population of people reside and build their lives in Canada and that’s the substance that binds us together to identify ourselves as Canadian. It’s one nation of multiple cultural sensory nuances such as fashion, food, art, music, languages and the varying sounds of accented voices speaking languages from around the world, including English—one of the official Canadian national languages. A CBC Radio audience would imagine the inclusion of an English-sounding accented

voice speaking English on CBC Radio, just as an audience would imagine the inclusion of other accents speaking other languages. If CBC Radio’s goal perceives diversity as hearing accents from Canadians originally from Asian, African, European, North and South American nations speaking English, they need to elevate their discussion beyond the “good” radio voice and “too white” descriptors that are vague, flawed, divisive and discriminate, likely alienating their existing diverse multicultural listening audience. CBC Radio could state they define diversity as programs with multicultural perspectives in other languages and poll their audience’s listening preferences for publicly-funded radio to move in that direction.

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The Runner

March 10 / 2015

Opinions

KSA 2015 election results surprisingly dissonant Voters aren’t on the same page. Coordinating Editor

After 473 ballots cast, Kwantlen students— well, a handful of them—have elected their student representatives. Many thanks to those who voted and effectively participated in supporting student representation at KPU. But let’s talk about these results. For one, they were far from unanimous. You’d think that all 20 uncontested positions were guaranteed wins. That’s fair, and that’s how it turned out. Yet some of these positions were highly no-voted, and it’s alarming that the opinions of voters were closer to polarized than cohesive. Some examples: of the total votes for some of the uncontested business rep candidates, up to 42 per cent were “no” votes; the total votes for queer constituency candidate Kayla England had up to 46 per cent “no” votes; the aboriginal constituency representative Justin Bige had up to 45 per cent “no” votes. These percentages are drastically higher than in previous elections, when “no” votes typically amounted to but a small fraction of ballots cast. The contested representatives for Surrey campus also had to hold their breath, since their results showed a neck-to-neck finish. Kwantlen Gaming Guild president Tashi

Barungtsang won the position, just 11 votes ahead of runner-up Abdulsalam Kulan, who had 100 votes. Scott Mossop placed third with 92 votes. That’s not exactly a landslide. Note that there’s no opportunity for a coalition of Surrey reps, or something similar, to include the service of the trailing candidates, candidates who earned a similar number of votes. It’s Barungtsang’s show now, who said at The Runner’s 2015 All Candidates’ Debate that he wants to have more concerts despite the history of epic, consecutive revenue failures of KSA Cram Jams in years’ past. And then, after all that seemingly heightened no-voting, all the uncontested positions have been voted in. I think it’s proper that we at least have people to fill those spots. After all, they earned more “Yes” votes than “No,” and that proves that some people believe in the potential of these candidates. I’ve seen them participate at KSA council meetings admirably. But yes, there have been some upsets. Consider what these statistics might suggest. Voters are on different pages, nay, in different books when it comes to who the right representative is. Maybe we’re so far into our different books that some of us would rather be without a representative or two. The “no” votes say so.

Still, we can rest assured that proven, effective reps ended up running and being elected. There’s plenty of returning KSA council veterans that have done good work. Some of those vets helped create bursaries, directed and participated in multiple clubs or director boards, and some of them have simply represented us before. As for the upsets—you can’t change the results. The polls are closed. But we’ve got the option of scrutiny. No matter the results, it would have come back to this. Contact these representatives about their promises. Applaud them graciously when they follow through and make our lives better at KPU. Let them know that their commitment is laudable, especially at a school where student involvement isn’t strong. Remind them of the implications when they don’t follow through. Like many voters, I’m unconvinced that all of our elected reps are the best candidates. But at least they’re at arm’s length, and we should take advantage of that. See, we’ll leave Kwantlen one day, and we’ll continue to participate with the mechanisms of our municipal, provincial and federal governments. And out there, our voices might not always be as loud, even if they’re as dissonant as they were in this election. At least we were mostly together on the health and dental plan question, right? Floss for all!

Ashley Powell

Kier-Christer Junos

GEN X

Roland Nguyen

Millennials in a New Age Generation Anything.

Kyle Prince Contributor

Lazy, unmotivated, losers, unaware, dependent, self-absorbed--millennials have been called every name under the sun. And you’re one of them. Yes, you. Sitting in Starbucks with a laptop, or reading this paper in the library, you’re one of us. The millennials, the scourge of the country, the black pit into which all the efforts of good, hardworking, contributing members of society are sucked into. So, is any of that true? Baby boomers seem to think so. The strange thing is they might be right, at least according to an article in Forbes called “Study: Millennials’ Work Ethic is in the Eye of the Beholder.” Forbes says that 70 per cent of non-millennials agree that we aren’t as willing as we should be to “pay our dues.” Through the ages, older generations have criticized the up-and-comers. In the ‘60s, it was the hippies, in the ‘70s, the punks, and now it’s

us. So what if they’re right? All of this pressure to excel, to get out and do something; it doesn’t have to be a negative thing. I’ve come across a couple people who have fit their description to a tee, but I’ve never thought I failed their test. Granted, there are different values as time goes on, but if we just try and prove them wrong, the worst that happens is we get out and do something. Anything, really. Whether it’s ruining sports, spending too much money, rejecting the boomers as role models, not facing real world challenges, or just living at home, the baby boomers have a story for each of these and how we aren’t doing enough, or how we’re trying to change too much. Stacy’s answer from “The Millennials Are Ruining This Country. What Can We Do?” puts it quite bluntly: “These are the kids, after all, who text their dads from meetings. They think ‘business casual’ includes skinny jeans. And they expect the company president to listen to their “brilliant idea.” I think it’s more to do with how we’re try-

ing to change anything at all. They put a lot of effort into maintaining some of those routines. There’s even a Forbes article, What is Old? Not 63 and not me, say aging baby boomers, which used a Marist poll and had boomers talk about redefining what “old” is to push back the retirement age and stay at their jobs. So it can be troubling to see “the youngins” come along and completely disregard traditions they tried to make. A few of them figured out some things and can stay relevant, but with our advances in technology, we can put in half the effort and get twice the work done. The article “Rebels with a Cause” on Trackvia shows that Millennials have access to and are willing to use newer software than their Baby Boomer counterparts. In fact, 70 per cent of us are bringing in outside tech to help in the workplace, while only 30 per cent of baby boomers follow this trend. Yet there’s still the stereotype about how lazy we are, but I don’t know if it’s because we aren’t putting in effort, or if

they just aren’t looking at the results. To be fair, I’m sure people will argue that we shouldn’t have to prove anything to anyone, and while I want to agree, that’s also one of the criticisms of our generation. So there’s no harm in doing both. Prove them wrong, but do it for you. Let them rant and rave about how entitled we are, while setting out into the world and making a name for yourself. They don’t need to appreciate what you do, just as long as you can look in the mirror at the end of the day and feel proud. The rest is gravy. So we will take it. They’ll keep coming after us, even though we’ve done nothing wrong—because we’re the ones working to keep things rolling, we’re the ones struggling to plug the holes in our shared sinking ship. Generation Broke, Gen. Y, Millennials, whatever they want to call it, we will make a name for ourselves with or without their approval. We’ll do it because we can.

Opinions

The Runner

March 10 / 2015

Culturally Rich Nations, Exploitative Country Growing disparity between First Nations and Canadians cause various issues.

Ajdin Dautovic‘ Contributor

According to a United Nations report, Canada is the sixth most developed country in the world. If the Canadian First Nations were a country, they would be 63rd – lower than Russia and Libya. There are more telling statistics of the gap between Canadians and First Nations. For example, in a Globe and Mail informational video, 60 per cent—over 540,000—of First Nations live off reserves. The remaining 360,000 live on 2,300 reservations and face various challenges. In a 2012 report by the Chiefs Assembly on Education, the results for First Nations were staggering. For example, one in four children in First Nations’ communities live in poverty. Suicide rates among First Nations youth are five to seven times higher than other young people in Canada. A First Nations youth is more likely to end up in jail than to graduate high school—and the report goes on. These aren’t simply statistics or numbers, they are telling of the sort of society we have cultivated in our country. More needs to be done, but often there is little political will to get education and infrastructure improved for our First Nation communities. Just recently a fire at Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation in northern Saskatchewan killed two toddlers, and the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, Bernard Valcourt, says the bands should be responsible. He claimed the First Nations community had been provided “sufficient” funds to respond to these emergencies. There shouldn’t even be a strenuous debate about whether or not to upgrade and aid these communities, it should be our responsibility as Canadians.

Although I am not Canadian-born, I am a Canadian citizen and I share in the guilt that our Canadian forefathers should feel. Canada, as we know it today, was settled and colonialism is to blame for it. We took land and negotiated land treaties which were insufficient to address the sort of lifestyle which aboriginals sought. We need to take ownership today and help our First Nations communities, and stop neglecting issues like rampant racism in cities towards aboriginals. Fixing the current disparity between First Nations and Canadians is a complex issue, but improvement in education, infrastructure in communities, and collective Canadian ownership of responsibilities to integrate or aide First Nations communities are ways to begin bridging the gap. Education is currently a large issue in First Nations communities, as 47 per cent of First Nations need a new school. Of those communities which have schools, 74 per cent need major repairs. Some of these repairs and improvements would include upgrading kitchens, science labs, libraries, and providing fully equipped technology in First Nations schools. If you think about these numbers, you begin to see that a majority of First Nations schools are underfunded and under-equipped. I can clearly remember my elementary and high school days, and I can certainly attest to the fact that our local schools in Surrey had all the basic necessities which many First Nations schools lack. Even with improving the basic elements of First Nations schools, there needs to be a discussion about which way to best implement an educational curriculum which suits the culture-based approach. As well, there needs to be a focus on cultivating the identity of First Nations, and the Eurocentric/West-

ern performance-driven educational system which is implemented throughout Canada. If improvements are made to schools, and a discussion is had about improving education, then improving the living standards and infrastructure in their communities should be of utmost importance. All aspects of improving First Nations are important, but some aspects are required to be finished prior to moving onto the next need of the community. Currently, reservations fail to meet living standards which many Canadians enjoy in rural and urban settings. While infrastructure and education

W : runnermag.ca are very important, Canadians and the government need to be more jointly involved in taking steps to address issues of poverty, education, infrastructure, and social issues in the communities. There is also a need for the Canadian government to rethink their approach when dealing with First Nations. Often First Nations communities may feel alienated due to the refusal from government to include them in discussions for legislative bills that may impact their communities. For example, Bill C-45 was focused on creating jobs and was considered controversial by First Nations because it changed the basic rights which First Nations had to water access, and treaty rights. This sort of approach or attitude needs to stop, as the government fails to recognize their wrongs and only stands to worsen relations between First Nations communities and Canada.

Charis Au

government writes off $300-million in STUDENT loans No one should need them in the first place.

Tristan Johnston Staff Writer

Canadian government reports for the 2014-2015 fiscal year have shown that the government has decided to write off roughly $300-million in student loans. These loans that haven’t been paid back are mostly pre2008 defaults. 88 per cent of them have been deemed “uncollectable.” For the most part, student loans get paid back. Roughly 87 per cent of student loans are paid back, according to Marie-France Faucher, a spokeswoman for Employment and Social Development Canada. This shouldn’t necessarily be considered a political move. Those $300-million in loans weren’t going to be paid back. Many of these debtors can’t pay them back due to financial hardship or bankruptcy. Similar to your tax returns, it may seem nice when you get it, but it was your money to begin with. The burden goes to the taxpayer. If reading Facebook posts about the TransLink referendum has taught us anything, Canadians hate taxes in every shape and form—especially older Canadians who actually vote. The better, long-term solution would be to make like the majority of Europe and make university education free. Tax everyone a small amount to begin with and allow graduates to find jobs without having $25,000 or more hanging over their heads. If education was fully paid for by taxes, then

graduates would be able to actually put money back into the economy upon graduation by virtue of having it. My father graduated from the University of New Brunswick with an engineering degree in the 1970s. After two years of working overqualified in a factory tying boxes up, he had cancelled all of his debt. This is almost impossible in 2015. According to an economics paper from the University of Western Ontario, in 1974 the average university tuition fee was around $500, adjusted for 2005 dollars. Today, it’s around $6,500, on average. Of course, federal minimum wage was around $2 in 1974. Our minimum wage has increased fivefold, but university tuition has increased 13-fold. It might have been possible to make the argument in the 1960s that free university was unnecessary. Graduating high school used to be “enough.” Today, having a bachelor’s degree is a bare minimum in many professions. Much of the time, especially to those with liberal arts degrees, it’s not enough. You used to become a stockbroker by passing the fellowship test, now you need at least a bachelor’s in business. The world is changing. Peter Mansbridge—a well-known news anchor for CBC—was fuelling airplanes in Manitoba, when he was ordered to call flight numbers in 1968. By sheer luck, a station manager was in the airport and heard his voice, then decided to hire him. As my journalism colleagues know, most of us are expected to go through internships (possibly unpaid), free-

lancing and working at a school newspaper before we have a chance of getting a job in our field. All of this with thousands of dollars of debt hanging over our heads. In addition, the entire process for getting a loan is very complicated. There is likely a gamut of infrastructure required to make sure loans go out properly, get paid, etc. If education was already paid for everyone by the taxpayer, all of this extra oversight for loans would be unnecessary, saving the taxpayer money in a different area. Similar arguments have been made for the replacement of welfare with “basic income.” Of course, I am preaching to the choir. This is a school paper and the majority of our readers are university students who need these loans to attend school. Wouldn’t it be better if everyone was taxed a little bit more, and graduates had no debt on graduation? Doesn’t an educated populace benefit everyone?

Danielle George

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The Runner

Opinions

March 10 / 2015

Levant to pay $80,000 in libel for defaming a Muslim Canadian law student. As reported by The National Post, Levant went so far as to call him a “liberal Islamic fascist” as well as a number of other unfounded accusations. In 2011 Levant was found in violation of the Canadian Broadcasting Standards Council’s code of ethics when he used a Spanish slur on air against an executive of a company that opted to boycott Albertan oil. On another occasion, interpretive dancer Margie Gillis was brought as a guest only to have her argument yelled over so that Sun could push a narrative about arts programs being unworthy of public funding. The on-air berating resulted in another violation of the Hira Matharoo CBSC’s code of ethics. For an example of the damage that agenda-based journalism can do, one needs only look down south at the Network Sun was modeled after. A study by Fairleigh Dickenson University showed that the sizable audience of Fox News was actually proven to be news reporting. Not only did Sun have the less informed on the issues of the day than same problems with sensationalism that oc- people who don’t follow news at all and yet cur with every 24-hour news channel, but Fox has massive influence on political opinSun reports were frequently littered with ion in the United States. Had Sun managed misinformation and outright hate speech. to gain the kind of influence that Fox has in From the network’s mission to discredit the U.S., it could have been highly damagclean energy sources (in a documentary ing to political discourse in this country. titled Down Wind, Sun tried to link wind turWhile it’s unfortunate to see Sun’s 200 embines with several bogus health concerns) to ployees lose their jobs, the demise of Sun News spreading Islamophobia by constantly run- network should be looked at as a good thing. ning sensationalized stories (compete with It shows that Canadians are savvy enough as scary titles like “Islam’s war of the world”) it consumers of media to know when they are was clear that every story presented by Sun being manipulated. Over it’s short run, Sun news was serving a narrative. defended its unethical practices and agendaThis dishonesty hasn’t gone unnoticed based on touting the free market. The free by regulatory bodies. This is why in Novem- market has spoken and ruled that, in Canada, ber a federal judge ordered Sun anchor Ezra there is no place for a network like Sun News.

The Sun Sets: A eulogy for Sun News Network Sun News Network shuts down and nothing of value is lost.

Joseph Keller Contributor

As of Feb. 13, Sun News Network is no

Danielle George

more. Oddly enough, the last thing ever aired by the right wing 24-hour news channel was a YouTube video of people fighting in a McDonalds. Canada’s “home for hard news and straight talk” has struggled with abysmally poor ratings over its four-year run. It’s not surprising, considering the network’s poor production values and constant ethical violations. While Sun had a very dedicated core base, the vast majority of Canadians were able to see through the bullshit spin peddled by the network and opted to inform them-

selves with more trustworthy media. Good on you, Canada. We’ve managed to run Fox News North out of town and in doing so struck a big win for responsible media. One thing I want to be clear on is that my disdain for this network is not a result of its rightwing political orientation. Political discourse requires a diverse range of opinions and conservatives are a major demographic in Canadian politics that should be represented. However, what Sun was doing was deliberately distorting the facts to push an agenda by pandering to its viewers’ preconceived notions rather than informing them. This is a grave disservice and Canadian conservatives deserved better. Make no mistake, Sun News was a great example of everything wrong with modern

Stewart says goodnight to The Daily Show It’s the end of an era in all things satire.

Connor Doyle Associate Editor

In the summer of 2013, John Oliver took over hosting duties of The Daily Show from fellow fake newsperson Jon Stewart, while Stewart was away filming his directorial debut, Rosewater. For his part, Oliver did a tremendous job anchoring the show—he was faster, meaner and possibly even more insightful than his counterpart. But fans of the show still spent that summer longing for the return of “The Most Trusted Man in Fake News.” When Stewart finally did return, two things became readily apparent: John Oliver needed his own program, and Jon Stewart’s time at The Daily Show was entering its twilight. Last year, while Oliver left The Daily Show to begin hosting Last Week Tonight over on HBO, Stewart’s Rosewater was released to decidedly favourable reviews. Though on-air

things continued much the same as they had before his departure, Stewart’s delivery became a little more reserved, as if the 15 years of hosting were finally beginning to take their toll. His voice carried less enthusiasm, he got up from the desk less and less, swapping his famous Glenn Beck-inspired chalkboard shenanigans for a greater reliance on correspondents and field pieces. Perhaps the most notable change was that he seemed to take with less humour some of the darker stories his show would cover—his detached grin replaced with a drooping, world-weary gloom. On Feb. 10, Stewart announced he would be leaving The Daily Show before the end of the year. Immediate praise for the man’s work on The Daily Show began flooding in over Twitter, both from fellow comedians and even famed newsmen. His announcement coming so close to the Brian Williams scandal led some to call for the two to switch roles—Brian making stuff up and calling it

news for Comedy Central, and Stewart manning the NBC Nightly News desk. While Stewart’s post-Daily Show career remains to be seen, his announcement of departure immediately kicked off a storm of speculation as to who should replace him as host of The Daily Show. Unfortunately, the most immediate candidates one would think of for replacement are all occupied with other affairs—not two months ago Larry Wilmore, a longtime contributor to The Daily Show, began hosting his own show after Stewart’s, called The Nightly Show. Stephen Colbert, whose time-slot Wilmore took over, is going off to CBS to host the Late Show, replacing David Letterman who himself recently announced his retirement. It seems all of late-night is an an upheaval not seen since the 2009 Leno/Conan debacle. Other names that have been cast in the ring have just as speedily been removed. The Soup’s Joel McHale was mentioned as

a possible successor for Stewart, but he almost immediately refused consideration on the grounds that he simply “wasn’t smart enough” to take the job. Jessica Williams, probably the strongest correspondent currently working on The Daily Show, responded to a bevy of fans asking her to step up by taking to Twitter to say she was “extremely under qualified” for the position. With respect to McHale and Williams, they’re right to refuse the position. The problem with replacing Jon Stewart as host of The Daily Show is that whoever takes over, they won’t really be hosting The Daily Show—at least, not the iteration of the show we’ve come to love. When Stewart took over hosting duties from Craig Kilborn in 1999 he systematically changed the cast, crew, and even the very nature of the show until it became the program he wanted it to be. Light-hearted “what’s in the news today” segments were replaced with detailed, often highly informative news pieces focusing on war, scandals, problematic journalism, and both local and world politics. From his place behind the desk, Stewart handled these stories with a mix of impassioned defiance and absurdism. He could seamlessly transition from a story about underpaid veteran support systems to the latest development in Weiner-gate. His charm was in conveying the desperation of the modern American liberal, and anyone brought in to replace him, no matter how talented or informed, would have to fundamentally alter the format of the show in order to tailor it to their unique take on the news. When Stephen Colbert left The Daily Show to host his own program he called it The Colbert Report because it centered on the character he created, and when he left to replace Letterman they ended the show. The same should occur with The Daily Show when Stewart bids us goodnight.

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The Runner

Procrastination

March 10 / 2015

Horoscopes

SUDOKU SUDOKU No. 116 No. 116

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6 4 5 8 9 3 2 1 7

Previous solution Previous - Easy solution - Easy Medium Medium

5 6

Sagittarius Nov. 23 - Dec 21

Capricorn Dec. 22 - Jan 20

Every day in every way you are getting stronger and stronger.

That one crow staring eerily at you from beyond the window does not portend your demise, rather the thing in your hands it’s cawing at does.

Dude, doesn’t matter which bathroom. It can’t be important.

Pisces Feb 20 - Mar 20

Aries Mar 21 - Apr 19

Taurus Apr 20 - May 20

Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain” was, in fact, written about you—though Olly Murs’s “This Song is About You” was written about Elton John.

Tomorrow you will be visited by an old priest and a young priest. Tonight you will be visited by a new friend.

The nation has risen up with one voice and spoken. When will Alvin and the Chipmunks complete their squeakilogy?!

Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19

5 4 8 25 34 18 62 73 91 6 7 9

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1. Separate by a sieve 5. ___ Three Lives 9. Periods 13. Comics canine 14. Japanese-American 16. Bern's river 17. American football measure 18. Fills to the gills 19. Religious practice 20. Silly 22. Wheel 24. Continuing 27. Gambling game 28. Separable component 29. African antelope 33. Clear the boards 34. Female child 35. Hydroxyl compound 36. LBJ's successor 37. A Judd 38. Song syllable 39. Assignment 41. Quattro maker 42. Old French expression meaning "goodbye" 44. Deacidify 46. Not us 47. Plunge head-first 48. Chicken cordon ___ 49. Bicycle seat 52. Night spot 53. Vex 57. Et ___ 58. Synagogue scroll 60. Baseball stats 61. Fail to hit 62. Actress Verdugo 63. Alpo alternative 64. Apiece 65. Bunches 66. Sea-going eagle

Down

1. Non-dairy milk 2. Highest mountain in Crete 3. Christmas tree 4. Tiresome

Stop googling yourself, you’re the You wonder, briefly, if she’ll think of you president of Ecuador! before remembering that when you next see daylight more than a hundred generations will have passed since her death.

Virgo Aug 24 - Sept 23

Libra Sept 24 - Oct 23

This time next week you’ll be married to the sea.

Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 22

You must climb the mountain and find the There will never be another moment goat. He will have something for you there. as fulfilling as the one that just passed.

Don’t make fun of Australians, guys. They have nothing to lose!

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

29 34

37 40

Brain Thought Word Say ( www.brainthoughtwordsay.com )

47 50

Leo Jul 24 - Aug 23

Cancer Jun 21 - Jul 23

18 20

Gemini May 21 - Jun 20

60 63

5. Certifiable 6. Either of two Chinese dynasties 7. Ferrara family 8. Actress Ruby 9. Ring locale 10. Racetrack boundary 11. Commedia dell'___ 12. Prophet 15. Sharon, e.g. 21. The world's longest river 23. Old California fort 24. Code of silence 25. Usual 26. Polish seaport 27. Physicist Enrico 29. ___ Janeiro 30. Free laces, say 31. Kitchen gadget 32. Actor Kinski 34. Surgical dressing 37. Artlessness 40. Liturgical prayer 42. Munched on 43. Nonpile cotton rug of India 45. Dogpatch adjective

46. Dated 48. Game of chance 49. Ditto 50. Inter ___ 51. It may be compact 52. Songwriter Jacques 54. Support beam 55. Describe 56. "___ quam videri" (North Carolina's motto) 59. Pay stub?

Comfort food By Matt Loeb & Ryan Marshall