VOL-08-ISS-15
May-03-2016
Reaping what we sew since 2009
Making it work fashion students bare all at grad show
News Empty Spots on KSA Council Leave Holes in Representation Culture Meet KPU’s Student Ambassadors Opinion CFS’ Decline Significant for Student Lobbying Groups
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News | Empty spots on KSA council leave holes in representation
Coordinating Editor
Nine seats remain vacant on the Kwantlen Student Association council this year, leaving many students without representation in the association that collects and uses their fees.
Tristan Johnston editor@runnermag.ca
Executive Editor
Samantha Thompson deputy@runnermag.ca @sampthompson
Culture | Meet KPU’s Student Ambassadors
Managing Editor
You may have noticed a troupe of Kwantlen Polytechnic University students flooding your social media accounts with pictures and promotions for everything KPU.
Connor Doyle managing@runnermag.ca
Production Manager
Danielle George production@runnermag.ca
Feature | Ready for the Runway
Art Director art@runnermag.ca
Early last month, fourth year students of the KPU Chip and Shannon Wilson design school showed off their final projects with a runway show at the Imperial Vancouver.
Photo Editor
Geoffrey Nilson photo@runnermag.ca
Web Editor
Opinions | CFS’ decline greatly significant for student lobbying
Yaunna Sommersby web@runnermag.ca
There was a time, not too long ago, when speaking ill of the Canadian Federation of Students caused many to vehemently defend the organization’s honour.
Staff Writer
Kier-Christer Junos staff@runnermag.ca @kierjunos
Operations Manager
Debate | raising the minimum wage
Scott Boux office@runnermag.ca 778.565.3801
#BestPhoto
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Table of Contents
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kwantlenu Huge congrats to all our students who competed at the SkillsBC Competition! Way to go! # #kpu #kwantlen #kwantlenu #skillsbc #trades #studentlife #competition #kputech #photooftheday #picoftheday
The minimum wage is being reconsidered in BC as people push to raise it once again to $15 an hour. But should the minimum wage be considered a living wage?
#FeatureTweets @paulajaey Paula My baby sister @FaithJChoi did so well in her last concert!! @seashell_bras and @makmalfoy were lovely to watch as well #KPU
@JasmeenD Jasmeen When your lecture crush gives you a Mars bar it’s basically a marriage proposal. Introducing for the first time.. Mrs. Johal! No shame #kpu
@YSaidDream relief happy #kpu won the #collegenight relay at the #WhitecapsFC match! Woot woot ! @KPUstulife @WhitecapsFC #kpustulife #vwfc #capslive
Contributors
Arbutus 3710/3720 12666 72 Ave. Surrey, B.C, V3W 2M8 778.565.3801 www.runnermag.ca Vol. 08, Issue no. May 3, 2016 ISSN# 1916 8241
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Aileen Tran Aly Laube Braden Klassen Daniella Javier Monica Mah Kyle Prince
Kyrsten Downton Rosa Ojeda Scott McLelland Shandis Harrison Stephanie Davies Torin Slik
Cover
A model wearing a dress designed by Madeleine McKibbon, walks the runway at last month’s “The Show,” put on by the KPU Chip & Shannon Wilson School of Design. Photo by Tristan Johnston.
Corrections from previous issue: 1. In our March 23 issue, an article contained incorrect information about Eden Medicinal Society, which has since been updated on our website. The Runner regrets the error.
2. In the article “The How and Why of Donald Trump” Professor Noemi Gal-Or is incorrectly quoted to have said that “Trump’s supporters are white, middle class industrialists…” She actually said “white, middle working class, industrialized, unionized, relatively prosperous...” We regret these errors.
The Runner is student-owned and operated by Kwantlen Polytechnic University students, published under the Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society. The Runner recognises that our work, both in and out of the office, takes place on unceded Coast and Strait Salish territories, specifically the shared traditional territories of the Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Sto:lo and Tsawwassen First Nations. Our name is inspired by the hun’qumi’num meaning of Kwantlen, which is tireless hunters or tireless runners. Just as Kwantlen is adaptable and changing so is The Runner.
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Editorial
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From The Editors There’s always more beneath the surface
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Tristan Johnson
COORDINATING EDITOR
When I was in high school, my father would constantly give me trouble about my then-shitty opinions. “Tristan, don’t form opinions when you have less than one per cent of the information,” he’d say. This was something I heard every few days, and to this day my dad occasionally taunts me with, “That time you thought 9/11 was an inside job after watching a one-hour video.” I wish more people took this advice seriously. Yet it seems with greater frequency we’re seeing people on social media finding an image or a quote that’s out of context, and suddenly forming an entire opinion on it. It’s surprising how many people will believe a famous person said something when you take a photo of them and slap a quote on top of it. The worst form of this is when someone reads the headline of an article, and suddenly believes they know everything discussed therein without reading any of it. This is especially painful to me as someone working to become a journalist, when I see people sharing an article from “Hotglobalnews” on Facebook—typically an article that says something like “Trudeau announces 25 as the marijuana smoking age,” and people just believe it without doing any research themselves. When it comes to the actions of the federal government, context becomes even more important. Maybe in Brazil you could say that, “It’s all about money,” but in Canada, politicians are constantly weighing every decision against a ton of factors. The Liberals are always going to be criticized from both the left and right sides of the political spectrum, which is a good thing. For instance, we’re still hear-
Philippe Put/Flickr ing about the Saudi arms deal in the news, which is rightfully controversial. Yes, Canada is selling weapons to a country which might use them against Yemeni rebels, but that’s only part of the story. The other parts involve contract ethics: Does the Liberal government choose to go back on a deal the Conservatives made and reduce their credibility around the world? Do the Liberals say no, then have plenty of low/medium-income workers in Ontario vote against them when their tank building job is pulled from under their feet? Do they say no to money that would end up in the pockets of Canadian workers? For instance, several months ago in an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit, Bernie Sanders was asked about why he voted against funding N.A.S.A., despite being pro-space. “Sometimes, and frankly I don’t remember all of those votes, one is put in a position of having to make very very difficult choices about whether you vote to provide food for hungry kids or health care for people who have none and other programs. But, in general, I do support increasing funding for NASA,” he wrote, demonstrating that once again there is more to the story.
Let’s look at an example of something that plenty of people have been recently making snap judgements about: Dr. Strange. While I won’t go into the particulars of the film, it’s based on a Marvel comic, and there’s a character named “The Ancient One,” who’s an ethnic Tibetan man in the comics, but will be played by Tilda Swinton in the movie, who’s female and very much white. In this example, the common snap judgement is “why the hell is Hollywood casting a white person to play a clearly Asian character? White washing!” It’s easy to come to this conclusion quickly when all you see is Tilda Swinton in monastic clothing. You’d have to believe that it’s as simple as “Hollywood is run by a bunch of racist executives.” There are so many factors that go into any decision being made, and explanations can’t be given with onesentence answers. To oversimplify these choices does a disservice to people who are making the decision. In the case of Hollywood, you have a room full of executives trying to math out the financial riskiness associated with giving a director hundreds of millions of dollars to play with. It turns out the specific casting
what’s up this week (Mar 23 - Apr 5)
choice was very complicated. In an interview with Double Toasted, writer C. Robert Cargill described the casting choice as a “Kobayashi Maru.” For non-Star Trek nerds, this basically means that the studio had to choose the best way to lose. Last year, the Chinese film market was worth $6-billion USD, and is predicted to be the biggest film market by 2017 or 2018. Like it or not, Hollywood is successfully tapping into this market with big, blockbuster films and reaping the rewards. What this also means is that when you go to a studio and ask for money to make a film, more and more conditions get attached as the budget you request gets larger. The bigger the budget, the more money it needs to make back, and often the only way to do that is to make the film accessible to as many people as possible, including the Chinese market. This means you shouldn’t include a Tibetan character, or talk about Tibet, or mention a political minefield like a disputed territory in your film. The Chinese censors won’t let your movie get shown in one of their 35,000 cinemas if you include a character who’s “Tibetan, not Chinese.” But forget China, the studio could also choose to make the character as “authentic” as possible, but that could be bad as well, because this character was created in the 1960s and possibly based on racist stereotypes. Obviously, there’s more to this casting decision than what I laid out, but the point is that, often like politicians and business people, sometimes you have to make the “least shitty” choice instead of the “best” one. As such, you should try to gain as much information as possible before forming an opinion, rather than just finding information to match your opinion and ignoring or dismissing everythingt else.
with Samantha Thompson
wed, May 4
Fri, May 6
SAT, May 7
Marvel Movie Madness
Beer Sale Fridays
KPU Science Rendezvous
The KSA student life committee is hosting a Marvel marathon in the Grassroots cafe, from May 2 to 5. Three movies will be played each day. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Grassroots Cafe. Free.
Every Friday the KPU Brewing Lab is open for beer sales, and each week they feature different brews on tap. You can bring your own growler, or buy a KPU one. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., KPU Brewing Lab. $10 for 64 oz/ $6 for 32 oz.
Langley campus will be transformed into a science festival. Of special interest this year is a flower-line labyrinth that guests can walk through in celebration of World Labyrinth Day.
wed, May 11
may 15-18
Thu, may 19
Big Bike at KPU
Festival du Ballet
Just for the Health of It
Up-and-coming ballet dancers from around the Lower Mainland will compete at the Surrey Arts Centre. The highest scoring finalists will be featured at the Rose Gala Finalé on May 18.
The Office of the Vice Provost, Students is inviting the KPU community to attend a drop-in health and wellness event. There will be smoothies, adult colouring, and a recipe exchange. 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., KPU Tech Campus Cafeteria. Free.
Ride one of the biggest tandem bikes! This giant bike consists of 30 seats, join a team and bike two kilometres in 20 minutes. The teams fundraise money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. 9 a.m., locations in Surrey, Langley and Richmond. Free to join.
7 p.m., Surrey Arts Centre. $3/day.
11 a.m. to 4 p.m., KPU Langley. Free.
News Briefs KPU business students can graduate with CIM certifications
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Kier-Christer Junos STAFF WRITER
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Students graduating this May with a business management diploma and a BBA in entrepreneurial leadership programs can now achieve their Certified in Management and Professional Manager certifications while still taking classes. The CIM and P. Mgr. are nationallyacclaimed designations in professional management. The CIM certification process normally requires an eight-course academic portion, but it’s been waived for students in either program. Graduates do still need to fulfill some academic and experience requirements. The experience component usually asks for two years of management or administration application, but graduates can forgo that by writing a management ability test. The Canadian Institute of Management accredited Kwantlen Polytechnic University with these opportunities in January, and it makes KPU one of three institutions in the province that allow their students to get these designations at no extra course load.
KSA creates new fund for students with non-academic need
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Torin Slik CONTRIBUTOR
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Students facing non-academic troubles will soon be eligible to receive help from the Student Society Emergency Aid Fund. Alex McGowan, VP external and president of the KSA, explains that the government of British Columbia has recently set up a matching fund for student societies in universities. The fund is for students who need help with things like paying rent, medical bills, or groceries. “So, it’s not for things like tuition or books,” says McGowan. Student societies can put forth up to $7,000 into this fund, and the provincial government will match it dollar for dollar, maximizing the fund out at $14,000 total. McGowan explains one of the rules with this fund is that half of the money student societies put in have to be raised through fundraising, and that half cannot be drawn from student fees. “We’ve set the goal of fundraising $3,500 to put towards that fund and another $3,500 from our bursary fund,” says McGowan. Applicants will assessed by the university, and ultimately “it’s up to the university” to decide what needs are appropriate for accessing the fund, explains McGowan. The KSA hopes that they will have completed fundraising during the summer.
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ancillary fee increase on hold Further consultation needed before changes can be made
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Torin Slik CONTRIBUTOR
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Kwantlen Polytechnic University has batted around the idea of an ancillary fee increase, but it’s been put on hold for the time being. The proposed increase would have been an additional $3 per credit. The Kwantlen Student Association received a letter from KPU explaining the rationale behind a fee increase. In total, there were five potential uses of this extra money: increased outreach activities with local aboriginal organizations and aboriginal recruitment, development of universal design for learning and accessibility principles, expanding initiatives aimed at wellbeing and healthy living, cultivation of KPU’s alumni, and additional library hours. Jane Fee, vice provost of students, says KPU has decided not to go forward with the fee increase at the time. “There was not sufficient time to proceed with this and do the consultations we would have needed to do,” says Fee. “So, it is being shelved for the time being.” Alex McGowan, vice-president of external affairs and president of the KSA, says there will be consultation over the course of the next nine months. After that, a proposal will go to KPU’s board of governors next spring. “It sounds like they want to take some time to make sure, if they increase any fee, that they’re putting it to good use,” says McGowan. “We’re always in favour of more and better services for students, but obviously an increase in fees has to be worth it.” McGowan explains that the government has made it clear new fee increases have to go toward new services for students. As such, they cannot go into a general pot for flexible spending.
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The Fresh Faces of the KSA Executives for new year elected at first council meeting
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Aly Laube CONTRIBUTOR
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The first meeting of the new Kwantlen Student Association meeting came to a swift conclusion on April 1. At the meeting, the councillors elected the new executive: Tanvir Singh as the next vice-president of student services, Natasha Lopes as the vice-president of student life, Rawan Ali as the vice-president of finance and operations, and Alex McGowan as vice-president external. Singh, Lopes, and Ali are each new additions to the executive team, while McGowan finds himself re-elected to the same position he has held for the last year. The nominations for executives were put forward by other council members, followed by a speech from the nominee and a secret ballot vote. Each of the four times Speaker Titus Gregory opened up the floor to nominations, only one member was suggested for the role, meaning that there was no competition or contention over the positions.
Aly Laube Singh, who was the first to receive the title of vice-president, is a founding member of Kwantlen’s Gaming Guild and has two years of experience with the KSA. Primarily, he claims to have four goals which he intends to accomplish during his time as an executive; create more space for clubs, meetings, and dining on-campus; integrate faculty into the council; advocate with the university’s constituencies; and lead development on the student union building. “If you have a goal in mind, you need to be able to do it yourself, and that’s definitely something I will be
Aly Laube
doing,” says Singh. The second to be elected, Rawan Ali, came to Canada two years ago. She says that from her experience in finances and company management, she understands that organizing budgets is key, and she will implement that knowledge into her job as vicepresident of finance. “I know that finances can make or break an organization,” she says, but she currently cannot determine a concrete method of measuring her future success. Regardless, Ali’s outreach strategy is contacting students in accounting and financing as well as the relevant clubs. For Lopes, neutrality is of the greatest importance in her role as the vice-president of student life. In her speech, she stated that she will, “work to remain neutral … for the best interest of the student body,” and the funds that they pay to the KSA. She plans to work with clubs, constituencies, and staff “constantly…so that we are on the same page and working together.” In regard to student engagement, Lopes hopes to make personal appearances in classrooms and open
panel discussions to reinforce her role as a major point of contact and advocate for the school’s student body. McGowan says that he has learned great deal over the past year; he states that his conflict resolution skills have improved, and he’s become aware of Kwantlen’s lack of “issue-based policies,” which he wants to address and resolve. He also aspires to increase the role of the external affairs committee and student engagement through volunteer-run campaigns. McGowan notes the significance of maintaining relationships with other student associations and municipal and principal governments. Along the way, he will organize “consultation to make sure we’re targeting achievement.” Four seats were also taken on the appointments committee by John Shkurtaj, Murdoch de Mooy, Argel Monte De Ramos and Sarah Barahmeh. Each member was self-elected, but none were opposed. McGowan was also elected as president of the KSA.
KSA Holds Annual General Meeting New SUB process voted by members to continue
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Braden Klassen CONTRIBUTOR
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Members of the Kwantlen Student Association voted to continue with the process of constructing a student union building on campus in their Annual General Meeting on March 30. However, they were unable to adopt a revised set of bylaws due to a lack of quorum. “Our bylaws don’t allow us to amend our bylaws unless we have 200 people at quorum,” said the Speaker of Council, Titus Gregory who chaired the meeting. “We do not have 200 people—meaning it would be illegal for us to amend our bylaws, which is unfortunate.” The annual meeting functions as a public forum for the KSA executives to deliver summary reports of the organization’s notable accomplishments over the last year, as well as their projections and goals for the upcoming year. The main points of the meeting focused on KSA expenditures and initiatives, the continuation of the new student union building construction process, and the introduction of the 2016-17 KSA council members. The meeting’s agenda also included a motion to revise the KSA’s outdated bylaws, though the bylaws—which were last revised in
2011—will remain unchanged. The motion to continue the process of constructing a SUB on Surrey campus was not dependent on quorum requirements, and the motion passed with at least a 75 per cent majority, with seven no-votes from students at the Cloverdale campus. “Over the last few years the KSA has been working on a plan to build a stand-alone student union building,” explained Jeremy McElroy, the general manager for the KSA. “Many other universities have them, these are fantastic places where student groups get to organize.” “We know that space is at a premium here [and] being able to book places for your events and meetings is difficult.” Over the past year, the KSA has reportedly been negotiating with Vancity Credit Union about borrowing money to fund the SUB project. “Buildings are not cheap. We have pegged the cost of a new student building here at about $15-million,” said McElroy. “Just so all of you are aware, this will not cost anyone here any more money. The fee has already been approved and we are going to make the loan work within the fees that are available.” “This just gives council the ability to move forward, take out the loan which will allow us to
Braden Klassen do the consultation to find out what everyone wants in the building and ultimately have everyone here tell us what they want the building to look like, what they want the building to feel like, and maybe even what they want the building to smell like . . . who knows what the consultation process will look like?” When asked by a student on the Richmond campus about how long the loan repayment period was going to last, McElroy said, “Most mortgages, if you’re building or buying a house, will be in the 15, 20, or 25 year repayment period. We managed to secure a 30-year loan from VanCity, which means that we have a very long time to pay this back, and we will have the cash available to continue to improve the building, to
maintain it, and keep the lights on.” During an intermittent question period, Richard Hosein, the administrative and resource coordinator for the Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group, asked the executive if they will be “giving ample notice to organizations such as KPIRG in order to move their assets, or store their assets, or provide space for their assets, pending construction in the new Birch area?” “We will be giving ample notice,” replied outgoing KSA president Allison Gonzalez. The next KSA general meeting will be the semi-annual general meeting, which will likely be held in September.
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Empty seats on KSA council leave holes in representation By-elections will likely be held in Sept. or Oct.
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Kier-Christer Junos STAFF WRITER
Nine seats remain vacant on the Kwantlen Student Association council this year after the 2016 general election, leaving many students without representation in the association that collects and uses their fees. Aboriginal students, mature students, students of colour, Cloverdale students, design students, health students, trades and technology students, and academic and career advancement students all are without student councillors. There is also one empty arts representative seat. KSA president Alex McGowan says the vacancies are concerning because certain voices won’t be at the student association’s meetings. He says the reason the KSA has representatives for a variety of positions is to ensure the representation of traditionally marginalized groups, like people of colour or aboriginal individuals. Accounting student Sheena Kaur says that when communicating concerns at the student association level, it’s more comfortable when a representative has, “gone through the same thing as you have.” A by-election will be held to elect the open positions, and that will likely happen in the fall, according to McGowan.
In the meantime, he says that students have various avenues to voice their concerns. The design students, for example, comprise a large department on the Richmond campus. McGowan says that in lieu of a design representative, they should approach the Richmond campus representative, Murdoch de Mooy. The Cloverdale campus students, however, are without campus representative or a trades and technology representative. “So we’re kind of screwed,” says Jade Singfield, who is in firstyear welding. “I think we’d have to move to Surrey or Langley to get our point across, but then, how are they supposed to help us in a sense, right? They got their own school to worry about. Yeah, it kind of sucks.” Unrepresented constituencies like aboriginal students or mature students are not academic faculties. Alternative, systemized resources may not manifest themselves as obviously as, in the case of design students, a student experience committee. Kaur says that if she had a problem that concerned her identity as a person of colour, she wouldn’t know who she would go to. “The actual KSA people, I don’t know of,” says Kaur. McGowan points to the KSA’s newly developed constituency committee, which can be filled by any-
Tristan Johnston one, council member or not, who may identify with any given constituency. Before by-elections happen, noncouncillors can also be appointed as voting members on the constituency committees, according to John Shkurtaj, chair of the KSA appointments committee. He says that the issue with only 16 people on council—four of which are executives—is that 12 councillors need to be stretched across the committees.
“Right now I believe it’s five individuals who currently sit on four committees, which is a large number,” says Shkurtaj. The 2016 general election had 24 candidates. That’s three fewer than the 2015 election, and four fewer than the 2014 election. More candidates ran for the same positions than in previous years, leaving other seats either uncontested or empty. “I’m not super concerned about what it means for engagement on
campus—we always need to make sure we take engagement really seriously—but I don’t see this as a warning sign or a waning of interest in the KSA,” says McGowan. Shkurtaj says that including the experience of those not at the table yet is “a hard thing.” While he says “It’s not something that will hinder the performance of the KSA,” it’s an issue they want to deal with as soon as possible.
Proposed bill pushes post-secondary institutions to create sexual assault policies
KPU working towards increased campus safety “for the past two years”
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Kier-Christer Junos STAFF WRITER
Green Party MLA Andrew Weaver has introduced a bill in the B.C. Legislature that demands post-secondary institutions act effectively on cases of sexual assault. If enacted, the bill will create legal obligations for colleges and universities to develop actionable sexual assault policies, which are perceived to be absent on many Canadian campuses. The bill would require that policies be developed with the input of students. It would enforce universities to report assaults to the ministry, and the province would be enabled to impose fines for non-compliance with campus policies. Minister of Advanced Education Andrew Wilkinson says the government is working with Weaver to pass the bill as soon as possible. “If passed in British Columbia, the legislation will be supported by a framework that is under development in consultation with public post-secondary institutions to provide guidance on responding to sexual violence,” he says.
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Daniella Javier CONTRIBUTOR
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Natasha Lopes, the vice president of student life and women’s representative at the Kwantlen Student Association, looks forward to the bill’s bolstering effect on campus safety at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and other post-secondary institutions across the province. Lopes says there needs to be more discourse available to everyone about sexual assault. That way, no one will feel disgraced or afraid to come forward with their reported incident.
“If the Liberals pass this bill, it will make the discourse available to everybody. It’s the further destigmatization of a group of people who have been victims, who I feel have been a part of the minority,” says Lopes. “I believe everyone at KPU needs to come together and discuss it.” Preliminary research by METRAC, an organization that aims to end violence against women and youth, found that several Canadian post-secondary institutions “lack comprehensive policies to deal with sexual assault.” “An effective policy would be standalone,” says Kathryn Marshall,
the founder of the #SayKnowMore campaign, which aims to change campus culture around sexual violence. “That means it’s independent of other policies on campus, so it’s not part of the academic misconduct policy, or the student code of conduct.” She says the bill is a “good measure,” but needs to be “focused on students and not focused on schools doing damage control.” “I believe B.C. needs to go further than just act on institutions,” adds Lopes. “We need to address rape culture at the heart, and rape culture at the heart is teaching grades K-12
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what consent is.” “When you say stop,” says Lopes, “that should be the end of it.” Jane Fee, Deputy Provost & Vice Provost at KPU, says that the university has been working towards increased safety on campus for the past two years. Fee says the university is investing in emergency tools on all KPU campuses, beginning in the summer or fall. She adds that KPU also has a working group on campus that specifically looks at sexual assault and harassment issues. Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design is actively employed in keeping campuses safe at all times, according to Fee. That means adding lighting on campuses and reducing the number of places where a person can lurk. Fee says that KPU is making sure that response mechanisms improve for reports of sexual assault. “What we are looking for is an educational program, so anyone who’s approached by a member of the community will be able to respond effectively,” says Fee. “The big challenge is making sure that the individual who reports, gets the response they need.”
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in the wake of panama papers leak Federal government puts $444.4-million towards combatting tax evasion Liberal MP John Aldag says it’s “necessary”
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Kier-Christer Junos STAFF WRITER
A 2.6-terabyte cache leaked to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists in early April revealed the many ways the world’s wealthiest citizens are exploiting secretive offshore tax evasion on an enormous scale. Alongside heads of state, despots, criminals, and Lionel Messi, 550 Canadians have also been named in the data cache. The federal government has responded by citing its new 2016 budget, which puts $444.4-million over five years into the Canadian Revenue Agency, in an effort to curb tax evasion. The money will hire more auditors and specialists, improve business intelligence infrastructure, and investigative work that targets tax evaders. Speaking to the effort, Vice journalist Justin Ling tweeted, “Hot take, maybe there’s a diminishing law of returns in fighting tax havens.” But Liberal MP for CloverdaleLangley John Aldag says the investment is “necessary.” “Some of the movement of money, particularly at the corporate level, is completely legal,” says Aldag. “But, you know, there are some shady dealings.” Canadians obviously have an incentive to avoid tax. Kwantlen Polytechnic University economics instructor Joseph Chen attributes that to “a regulation issue.” “When governments try to chase tax evaders, they have to spend a huge amount of money to do that,” says Chen. Aldag says that Canadian tax structure is due for review. “I talked to some of my experi-
enced, long time politicians [in Ottawa] and they indicated that the last time there has been a really thorough review of the taxation legislation goes back to the ‘70s,” says Aldag. “Now is probably a good time to start looking into where the regulation legislation allows these things to happen.” Chen says that offshoring money to avoid taxes, legally speaking, is justified and more efficient for individuals and firms that choose to do so. That assumes their income and wealth is legally obtained. “How could you punish legal behaviour?” asks Chen. But if they obtain their assets illegally, then Chen says that is something people should question. CBC reported in March that the Canadian Revenue Agency granted amnesty to multi-millionaires running a tax sham in the Isle of Man, while simultaneously cracking down hard on middle class families for years through the court system. “I’ve had people say to me, ‘I make $50,000 and Canada Revenue is coming after me for $500 just for investing some money,’” says Aldag. Aldag says the Panama Papers leak raises questions amongst Canadians about wealth and taxation. It’s relatively easy for the super rich to hold assets overseas. It also is already difficult to tax the assets of the super rich, who are in the topmost wage percentile of society where global wealth is concentrated. Wealth, unlike income, is a longterm stock. Financial instruments like stocks or bonds are mobile over jurisdictions, and luxury goods like yachts can be anchored elsewhere. Some people even hold wealth in artwork, involving pieces that can go off the grid for decades.
Danielle George
Runner Run-Down: Offshore Businesses and Tax Havens The significance of the Panama Papers
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Aly Laube
CONTRIBUTOR
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The release of the Panama Papers serves as a stark reminder of what the elite will do to remain wealthy. The 11.5 million-file leak includes four decades worth of documents listing the names of individuals and companies that have invested in offshore tax havens with the advice of Panamanian law firm, Mossack Fonseca. Offshore tax havens are jurisdictions where foreign investors can store monies with little to no taxation. Most of them exist in the Caribbean,
although some remain in Switzerland, the U.S. state of Delaware, Belize, Liechtenstein and more. Outposts in Barbados are particularly popular with Canadians, as there is a tax treaty to avoid double taxation between the two countries. Companies that invest in these havens are known as offshore businesses or shell companies, which are relatively inactive but used as vehicles for business transactions. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, between $5-trillion to $7-trillion are hidden from tax authorities in offshore banks worldwide. In Canada alone, almost $200-billion is invested per year. That results in an estimated
$8-billion lost to tax evasion under the Canadian government. All that must be done in order to invest in an offshore tax haven is setting up a company or trust with the assistance of financial advisers. Applications for these organizations can be approved in less than a week if nominal fees are paid, and typically all correspondence and payments are managed online. Even non-profit companies and the corporations that they own can invest in offshore tax havens. It is common for these accounts to be run by agents with aliases, who approve company documents on the company owner’s behalf. Those who invest in offshore tax
havens are often celebrities, politicians, and high-ranking business people. Some of the people found in the Panama Papers include Iceland’s former Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, actor Jackie Chan, and associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Some of the individuals listed in the document were supposedly unaware of how their money was being handled by advisers. In separate cases, family or friends opened accounts with their names attached, unbeknownst to the individual. Others, who were aware that their money was being kept and transferred in offshore tax havens, argue
that it’s their fiduciary responsibility to avoid paying high taxes as it allows them to spend their funds on more useful company initiatives and raise shareholder value. Furthermore, if the money is earned abroad, there is some question as to why governments at home should have the right to a cut of the profits. Offshore businesses in tax havens are technically legal, which partially explains why only 50 people have been convicted of offshore tax evasion since 2006, according to the Canadian government. Whether the 550 Canadians mentioned in the Panama Papers will be excused or convicted remains uncertain.
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Love In Da Club: Making time for philanthropy New club focuses on fundraising for various causes
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Torin Slik
CONTRIBUTOR
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Spending time aiding others is something Damanpreet Garcha’s been doing since high school. Pause for a Cause is one of Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s newest clubs, and Garcha is the president. She had been a part of a philanthropic social justice-style club in her high school, and she knew as soon as she hit university that she missed it. “Obviously, the answer was to make my own club,” Garcha says. “I had been thinking about it for a while. It took me until September last year to go ahead and start the club.” For the first few months, Garcha’s priority was to recruit more members for the club. In November of 2015, Pause for a Cause began organizing their own events. The inaugural event was a bake sale to raise awareness for the BC Lupus Society. Since then, the club has held events for the White Ribbon Campaign, a Valentine’s Day Positive Message event, and a bonding time for International Women’s day. Currently, Pause for a Cause has around 35 members, and although Garcha says the club is working on more recruitment, she also noted that a smaller group of people can be advantageous. Garcha cites the infamous Margaret Mead quote: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has,” as a motto that effectively describes the club. “I really like that quote and I’ve purposely tried to keep the club small just for now because I feel like with smaller people you can get to know everyone and you can do more things together as long as they’re all committed to the cause,” she says. One of the next projects for the club is KPU Gives Back. Her idea is to make gift baskets for women in rape relief shelters. She figures that each basket will cost about $20, and they currently have $200 so far. Of course, Pause for a Cause is not the only social justice group at Kwantlen. “I know, for example, there is KPIRG, which I’ve been a part of and I loved helping out with,” Garcha explains. “But, they’re more of a lobbying group, whereas I’m personally studying marketing right now and I’m also into philanthropy and fundraising and I wanted to do more of a club like that. So, the idea is that every month we do some sort of fundraising or awareness campaign.” Currently, Pause with a Cause operates mostly out of the Richmond campus, as that’s where most of the members are based. Anyone wishing to join or ask questions can email the club at kpupauseforacause@gmail. com.
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May’s Marvel Movie Madness All twelve Marvel movies to be screened in Grassroots from May 2-5
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Aly Laube
CONTRIBUTOR
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Marvel lovers have been hyping up the release of Captain America: Civil War for months, and now the Kwantlen Student Association’s student life committee is joining in on the fun. From May 2 to May 5, all twelve canonical Marvel movies—collectively known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe—will be screened in chronological order at the Grassroots Cafe. Three movies will be played each day, starting at 10 a.m and ending at 3 p.m. The idea for the marathon came to Kwantlen Gaming Guild events coordinator John Shkurtaj after a Star Wars marathon the guild held in preparation for The Force Awakens. “We had about 60 different people show up throughout the entire 12-hour event, so we thought that this [Marvel marathon] would be a really great idea,” says Shkurtaj. He also did it out of passion, as a fan of all things Marvel. Currently, his favourite film is the first Avengers movie, but he expects Captain America: Civil War to take the cake. “I’ve always found an interest in Marvel and DC,” says Shkurtaj. “Being something I related to as a child, it’s always going to be a part of me. It’s a fun, exciting thing, and I know that a lot of people from the Gaming Guild think this is a great idea and they’re going to come out too.”
He chose to host the marathon at the cafe to “bring new students into Grassroots and help increase its revenue.” It’s also the best place on campus to find movie snacks and beverages, which students get a 10 per cent discount on. Shkurtaj worked in tandem with the KSA’s vice-president of student life, Natasha Lopes, to organize the event. Lopes cites herself as a longterm Marvel enthusiast with a particular love for the original Iron Man and its soundtrack, though she “really enjoy[s] any superhero universe.” “It’s something uplifting for students, and I look up to a superhero to give me the inspiration and drive to keep going,” she says. “Wonder Woman never stopped. She just kept on pushing through, regardless of what the society that she was working in did to her.” Like Shkurtaj, Lopes’ love for the universe isn’t her only reason for backing the marathon. The two of them are hoping that it will encourage Kwantlen’s largely disengaged student body to participate in oncampus events. “Anything involving superheroes will always attract people. It’s up to the student body as well, but it’s the summer so they have more time,” says Lopes. “I find that Marvel Movie Madness is really setting the tone for this KSA council and what students can expect from this council. It’s also setting the tone for our student life.” Shkurtaj adds, “Bringing students into Grassroots is just something that
I want to see more often, and during the summer semester, it’s a great way to get people back here.” While Lopes will be in attendance for part of the marathon, Shkurtaj will be there for the entire twelve-film screening. They will both be wearing costumes, although it’s currently a mystery which characters they are going to be. The two hinted at the possibility
of another Grassroots movie marathon in the future, with the Harry Potter films being a viable option. “This is something that I want the KSA and the student life committee in particular to continue doing because it’s such a simple event,” says Shkurtaj. “It doesn’t take much effort, and it’s something that students would like to see. It’s going to be fun.”
Meet KPU’s Student Ambassadors Helping build university culture, one student at a time
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Kyle Prince & Monica Mah CONTRIBUTORS
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You may have noticed a troupe of Kwantlen Polytechnic University students flooding your social media accounts with pictures and promotions for everything Kwantlen. These are KPU’s Student Ambassadors, and their mission is to “represent the university from a student perspective.” “We work closely with the prospective students, basically anyone who has applied to Kwantlen,” says Zerlinda Chau, who joined the ambassador team after volunteering for KPU’s open house. “We generally want students who are very active on campus.” Like most recruits, she received an email about the opportunity to join the team, though Chau mentions there are also applications to become a student ambassador available online. Argel Monte de Ramos, another member of the team, claims that what the ambassadors hope to do, first and foremost, is “build a culture” for KPU students. That involves attempting to change people’s perspectives when it comes to Kwantlen being seen as a commuter campus, and encouraging students to stick around outside of classes. Monte de Ramos admits this is no small task, but remains con-
Courtesy of KPU Student Ambassadors fident that the ambassadors are up for the challenge. “A lot of the ambassadors on our team used to be introverted before,” says Monte de Ramos, who runs both the ambassadors’ Twitter account and KPU’s Snapchat account. “And now they’re becoming extroverted and going through the spectrum, and it’s just really cool because it’s helping them a lot.” Damanpreet Garcha says the reason she wanted to be a part of the ambassadors is because of her experience at student orientation. When she was still considering whether or not
to choose KPU as her university, the student ambassadors were there to provide lots of information and encourage her down the path towards Kwantlen. During her first semester, Garcha says she noticed others in her class struggling, and thinking back to the help she got from orientation, “that’s kind of what I wanted to do for someone else. I love helping others, this sort of ties in everything I love doing into one thing.” The primary initiative for the student ambassadors has changed over the years, but one thing has re-
mained constant: they are here to help students. They look at potential students, current students, and even Kwantlen’s alumni in order to give the best possible experience to all of us involved with the university. The current team is composed of Zerlinda, Argel, and Damanpreet, as well as David, Rajdeep, and Julie Ann. Together, these seven students have a passion for helping others and want to give back to the school that has given them so much enjoyment during their time here.
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Bad Axe Throwing Comes to Surrey Surrey residents will be able to sharpen their axe-throwing skills starting this May
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Aly Laube
CONTRIBUTOR
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Contrary to what the name suggests, the employees at Bad Axe Throwing are actually very knowledgeable and passionate about their jobs. The company title is only a pun on “bad ass,” used to illustrate how proud they are of what they do. “I believe that I, myself, and all the other coaches at Bad Axe Throwing are incredible axe-throwing accolades,” says Melanie Williamson, proclaimed Axe-Throwing Vixen for Bad Axe Throwing. However, there are no skills required for average club members. For the regular, unprofessional axe-thrower, it’s just a fun way to take the edge off. Williamson, who has worked at Bad Axe Toronto since October, is 2013’s Miss Canada winner. She, like many others who participate in axe throwing, found her passion in hurling steel as a source of stress relief and amusement. Her title as Axe Throwing Vixen was inspired by her “lumberjack glam” look and impressive throwing expertise. “I’m pretty handy with an axe,” she says. “My infamous axe-throwing trick is to do a one-handed cart-
Courtesy of Bad Axe Throwing wheel, and then throw the axe right into a bullseye.” Her experience as a Miss Canada winner taught her “the skill set to be well-spoken, to have great charisma, and run interesting events,” which has carried through to her role with Bad Axe Throwing. Aside from participating in the sport itself, she also works with the company’s expansion plan by transforming locations, hiring and training new employees, and talking to press. The new Bad Axe location will be on 130th Street in Surrey. The company’s other locations are in Burlington, Edmonton, Halifax, Kitchener,
Missisauga, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vaughan and Winnipeg. Surrey is the most recent location to open up, chosen as “the perfect area [with] the perfect population.” “There’s something charming about Surrey. We looked at going right into Vancouver but there’s a lot going on there,” says Williamson. “I think it’s going to be a win-win situation for both sides.” For anyone worried about losing an appendage to an axe, Williamson assures the public that the sport is very safe—so safe, in fact, that there is no protective gear required. “There have been no serious in-
juries,” she says. “Areas are caged. When you’re not throwing you stand behind them, and the coaches take usually a half hour to an hour to train you properly on how to throw an axe and keep safe in the space. The axes are taped up [and] at a point where they’re not so extremely sharp that anyone could be seriously injured. Based on the distance from the target board, there’s not much of a chance for the axe to come back at you… It’s quite safe.” The sport is open to people of all ages, shapes, and sizes. Children are able to participate, though Williamson notes that “those that are a little
bit older—preteens and up—are more capable of throwing an axe.” Some of the events that Bad Axe Throwing caters to include bachelor(ette) parties, birthdays, corporate events, or just friendly get-togethers. To set up an event, anyone interested can visit the company’s website for contact information. The first day of Bad Axe Throwing’s Surrey open house is May 22, at 8132 130th Street. The facility will be open to the public for the entire weekend. For anyone hoping to attend the open house, Williamson has one crucial piece of advice: “Remember to eat, drink, and be burly.”
Vancouver 420 event continues to grow To some, protest seems more like a festival
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Tristan Johnston
COORDINATING EDITOR
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Tens of thousands of people descended upon Sunset Beach, Wednesday to celebrate 420, the unofficial marijuana holiday. All over the world, in places where it’s possible, people gather— usually in front of legislatures—to protest the war on drugs. Protesters will often smoke joints in defiance. This year, 420 had to move to Sunset Beach from the usual Vancouver Art Gallery location, as the event has been growing year after year. This meant enough space for a stage, portable toilets, and plenty of vendors openly selling marijuana and other paraphenalia.
Another key difference for this year's 420 was a morning announcement from Minister of Health Jane Philpott at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where she explained that the Liberal government would be unveiling marijuana legalization legislation by next spring. “Volunteers, all volunteers,” says Jodie Emery about the organizers of the protest. Of course, it’s an illegal protest. For now. Jodie Emery is well-known in Canadian marijuana activism, and is the wife of Marc Emery, who himself is known for founding the B.C. Marijuana Party and for running several cannabis-related businesses. “We just do it. It’s been 20-plus years of 420 happening in Vancouver Tristan Johnston
Jodie Emery stands on stage at 420 event on Sunset Beach.
Tristan Johnston and it’s always been civil disobedience. We don’t ask for permission because we don’t need it. We’re a protest, but it is peaceful.” This may sound strange, given the obvious presence of first aid and fire crews, along with copious amounts of police, who aren’t making arrests. “Every year we have to get more and more professional. Every year the city asks us to get more toilets, we get radios to communicate, we hold regular meetings with city events coordinators at city hall. Parks board, B.C. Ambulance, Vancouver Fire, and Vancouver Police Dept. And we work with them regularly with meetings and discussions to coordinate this fully. The only reason we can’t get a permit is because marijuana is illegal. And the only reason we’re here is because marijuana is illegal.” Having heard Philpott’s announcement of coming marijuana legislation earlier that day, Emery said that she was sceptical. “I think the Liberals are taking too long, because they are promising to keep arresting Canadians for pot possession
in the meantime, and they’re only talking to mental health experts, and addiction experts and police, who have all traditionally opposed legalization, and they’re using language like ‘restrict’ and ‘heavily control.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has recently reiterated the Liberal opposition to immediate decriminalization, saying that such a move would provide gangs with a “legal stream of income.” Emery said that her ideal form of legalization would be “the way it is now, but with more opportunity available—medical marijuana more readily available, no more arrests. You can have big corporations making their own recreational marijuana, and small craft producers. Just like coffee, just like beer, just like wine.” Many of the protesters likely hold similar opinions to Emery, with many of them toking up in plain sight. However, given the heavy police presence at the event, why isn’t anyone getting arrested? “The primary concern for the police down here when we have a
crowd of 15,000 to 25,000 people is the safety of the people that are here,” says Sgt. Randy Fincham of the Vancouver Police Dept. “Although there are people down here smoking marijuana, marijuana possession does remain a criminal offence. We weigh out the requirements and the need to arrest someone with the safety of other people around here and the public interest in doing that.” However, Vancouver is already known for being a city with a relaxed outlook towards marijuana. “We only have so many police resources in the City of Vancouver, investigating a variety of crimes, that goes all the way from fatal car accidents, to homicides, to robberies, to drug offenses.” “When it comes to enforcing drug offenses,” says Fincham, “our priorities lie with dealing with violent drug traffickers, people who are preying on other people to sell drugs, buy drugs, that’s where the focus lies.”
Ready for t
Graduating KPU Fashion stu
Tristan Johnston – Co
At Kwantlen Polytechnic University, it could be the fashion students who have the most extravagant graduation ceremony. Early last month, fourth-year students of the KPU Chip and Shannon Wilson design school showed off their final projects with a runway show at the Imperial Vancouver on Main St. Thirty-six students demonstrated three outfits each to a packed crowd of parents, professors, and fashion industry representatives. “It’s very industry-focused, the school maintains relationships with local companies,” says Claire Cormeau, a graduate. “There are many opportunities offered to us after graduation. We’re even placed in a company for an internship in our third year. It’s really great that way, that we’re able to get a foot in the door and start networking.” Getting into the program is brutal. Entering the program requires the submission of a letter of interest, resume, reference letters, design examples, sketchbooks and two garments, one of which the school specifies. You need to know how to make clothing before you can even enter. “I think in our year there were over 100 applicants. They only selected 40 out of those, so it’s quite difficult for sure,” says Cormeau. “When I applied we had to have six sewn gar-
ments, but I know that number has decreased [since then].” Speaking to some of the graduates, it seems that getting in was the relatively easy part. Many of them spoke of staying at Richmond campus from the time the doors open until the time security kicks them out. “I took some sewing in high school—I just did a lot of things on my own, experimenting with fabric,” says Madeline McKibbon. “Twelve-hour days are normal, we’re often the first ones in the school, the last ones to leave. I think it really helped us have a great work ethic.” McKibbon likens the instructors in the program to mentors. “They really work with us, they help us work through everything, through the whole process. They’re tough, but they’re trying to help us be better designers.” “We eat, sleep, and breathe fashion,” says Sam Stringer, a graduate at the show. “I think it’s because we really take fashion as more than just clothing. A lot of people read into it in different ways. I use fashion as my art form, other people use it as a way to connect with people with their sports—designing stuff for hiking, biking, and surfing. It means so much more to them than just a class.” According to some of the students, the program allows you to be as utilitarian or as creative as you like, as long as you
can find a niche and market for it. As range of different types of clothing. O designers are creating wearable art, problems. Cormeau’s line, Nuage, focuses o looks good on wearers of any age. “It’s to-wear collection, taking difference based on their age and bridging that g ages of 50, I found in my research th of colour offered, not a lot of fresher s on that.” Stringer is on the other end of the trum. Her line, Vesuvius, is essentially es which she describes as wearable p local artist to create them. “Mine’s more art,” she says. “I th lot of two sides. You see functionalit tic side, and mine really does focus o us together are trying to find ways to just clothing. Because there’s a lot of waste, and we don’t want to contribute So people are either trying to turn their meet a specific need or to add value to
the Runway
udents show off their wares
oordinating Editor
s a result, there’s a large One could argue that some while others are solving
on creating clothing that s really an ageless, readyes in how people dress gap. For women past the hat there’s not really a lot styles, so I really focused
creative-utilitarian specy a set of handmade dresspaintings, working with a
hink in fashion, you see a ty, and you see the artison the artistic side. All of make fashion more than fast fashion, and a lot of te to that waste any more. ir clothing into things that o it.”
Also designing to reduce fashion waste, Madeline McKibbon’s line, maison margot, was designed with the principles of “wabi-sabi, the philosophy of slowness. It’s really about the small, little details within the clothing, so people can have a strong connection with their pieces, so they can keep them for a long time.” Bena Yang’s line, Metrix, is for men who are “between 28 and 38, and they’re for men who want to be comfortable in their clothes, but still professional,” she says. “Versatile, especially with all the pockets inside.” Ashley Morin’s line, Ginger and Flora, is a women’s lingerie line for women with a larger bust size. Morin says the process of creating bras is more like engineering. “I’m focused on the double-D-plus market, because I found that the designs currently in the market were really matronly, outdated, very thick straps, the prints were awful, and so I really looked at the engineering behind the bras and took them apart, and I really remade them. [I focused] on beautiful fabrics and beautiful detailing.” “These sizes in particular are not carried in the mass market brands like Victoria’s Secret, La Senza, all of that. The problem is when younger women and girls go the store, Victoria’s Secret will fit them in their sizes, and the problem is that the cup
size is too small and the band is too big, and thus the band is running up in the back and they’re not getting the support they need.” Stringer’s dresses are large and intricate. She estimates that she worked almost 300 hours on all three of them. “The last couple of weeks, I was getting an average of about… two hours of sleep per night.” She characterizes her dresses as being more like wearable art, and she expects the wearers to be women who often go to formal events. “You just don’t have time, but the weird thing is, I loved it,” says Stringer. Though everyone was doing something different with their clothing, all 36 graduating students were seeking to solve problems and fit into niche markets with their clothing. All of them seemed to agree that the entire last few months of their already brutal program left them without much sleep. Thankfully, their graduation comes with an after party.
From left to right “hetki/ a moment”, clothing by Kate Schreiner “Shapeshifter”, clothing by Marita Paul “Surface”, clothing by Sara Lowe
Sparks Fly in the Elec
EVs’ popularity rises as new models
Aly Laube – C One-sixth of every barrel of oil is used to fuel passenger vehicles, according to Peter Tertzakian, chief energy economist at ARC Financial. But even if one-million electric vehicles were sold within a year, it would only displace 50,000 barrels of oil a day. That isn’t much, relative to the approximate 96-million barrels that are demanded worldwide on a daily basis. While it’s not enough to reverse the environmental damage done by emissions, it is better than nothing. The number of electric vehicles being purchased is constantly on the rise, and the more hitting the streets, the bigger the dent in the fossil fuel industry will be. “Compared with other vehicle fuel or technology options, electric motors are extremely efficient, and have the potential to drastically reduce emissions, particularly in B.C. where 93 per cent of our electricity is clean,” says Charlotte Argue, Program Manager of the Fraser Basin Council’s Climate Change and Air Quality Program. “By switching to electric, we have the potential to save over 80 per cent of our vehicle emissions footprint compared to a gas car. They also benefit our local air quality.” Right now, there are four types of electric cars on the Canadian market: Battery Electric Vehicles, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles, Hybrid Electric Vehicles, and Fuel-cell Electric Vehicles. Out of those four options, the BEV is the only car that runs entirely on batteries. The traditional and plug-in hybrids are fuelled partially by batteries and partially by engines, though only PHEVs can be plugged into the power grid. HEVs create all of their energy from gasoline and regenerative braking. Fuel-cell Electric Vehicles are the most recent, efficient, and environmentally friendly of the lot, since they are powered by a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen which produces exclusively electricity and water. Despite the fact that the FEV in itself creates no harmful emissions, the process of making hydrogen fuel for the reaction is energy intensive, as it must be produced via steam reforming or electrolysis. Inaccessible distribution of
hydrogen fuel is another drawback, since hydrogen must be stored “either at very high pressures or very low temperatures, which complicates both the tank design and refuelling process,” according to a primer on Canadian Automobile Association’s website. The lack of accessibility to charging stations—and the limited “battery life” of electric vehicles—has created a phenomena known as range anxiety for many EV owners. It has been defined as the fear that the battery will run out before the driver reaches their destination, leaving them stranded on the street. That concern is understandable, considering that less than 16 per cent of all vehicle fuelling stations in Canada are for electric vehicles. There are 1,859 total across the country (CAA Electric Vehicle Charging Station Locator), as compared to the 11,811 retail gasoline stations (the Kent Group’s 2014 National Retail Petroleum Site Census), which means that finding a place to plug in your EV can be tricky. Currently, there are no charging stations at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and there are no plans to construct them. “Charging stations are something we’ve looked into in the past, but we put on hold the process of looking into it,” says Kwantlen Student Association president, Alex McGowan. “Charging stations are certainly something that’s on our radar and will be looked into again in the future.” Now that electric vehicles have started to become more popular, another obstacle is that there are too many drivers for the number of stations. Already there have been reports of long lineups, caused either by the mere multitude of people waiting or drivers leaving their car plugged in for unreasonable amounts of time. Because more stations are always being built, it is possible that this issue will disappear, and for many it’s hardly even an issue. EVs can be charged at home overnight, so stopping at charging stations may not always be necessary. The primary reason for the increasing
ctric Vehicles Market
s and incentives are made available
Contributor public availability of electric vehicles and charging stations is government support. The province of B.C. put $6.5-million into building charging stations five years ago, and now it offers several incentives to those interested in buying electric vehicles. One example is the Scrap-It Program, which pays car owners up to $3,250 to give up their old vehicles for recycling. “We’ve scrapped 40,000 cars. That’s a massive number of vehicles, and when we take them off of the road, they’re permanently off the road,” says Dennis Rogoza, CEO of the B.C. Scrap-It Program. On March 23 of this year, B.C. Minister of Energy and Mines Bill Bennett announced that, “The province will offer incentives of up to $5,000 for the purchase or lease of a new battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, and up to $6,000 for a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.” These incentives are part of the Clean Energy Vehicle program, which began April 1, 2015, as a partnership between the B.C. Ministry of Energy and Mines and the New Car Dealers Association of British Columbia. The CEV program will cost $10.6-million over the next three years, with funds allocated to incentives, investment in charging and hydrogen fuelling infrastructure, training, outreach, and research. “Encouraging and promoting environmentally friendly transportation is part of a broader strategy to ensure British Columbia remains a climate action leader. With transportation representing 37 per cent of total provincial greenhouse gas emissions, clean energy vehicles are
cles must have been purchased after April 1, 2015 in order to be eligible, and the program’s incentives will run “until March 31, 2018, or until funds are exhausted.” When the CEV incentives are used in tandem with the Scrap-It Program, the cost of electric vehicles becomes considerably more reasonable. Further incentives, such as a recent decision to allow electric vehicle drivers to use the HOV lane without any passengers, have driven up the sales as well. Governments aren’t the only ones making an effort, though; brands are also releasing more affordable cars. Tesla Motors is preparing to release the Tesla Model 3, which would have a range of over 300 kilometres and a price tag starting at $35,000 before incentives—under half the cost of older Tesla models. The company’s goal is to increase sales by 17 per cent by 2020, although the industry is a hotbed for intense company rivalry. Hyundai is launching a line of EVs called Ioniq, which has a shorter range than the Model 3, but a lower selling point. 2009’s Nissan Leaf goes for between $32,698 and $40,500, and Audi’s e-tron Q6 marked the first of the brand’s all-electric SUVs. Porsche and BMW have also debuted affordable electric vehicles under their names. But out of all of the big names in the business, it’s General Motors’ Chevrolet Volt that’s giving Tesla a run for their money. With a price of $37,500 and a range of about 320 kilometres, it offers very similar selling points to the Model 3.
essential to reducing emissions and maintaining healthy air quality,” says Mary Polak, B.C. Minister of Environment, about the CEV program. There are 34 vehicles that are eligible for the program, including makes from Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Smart, Toyota, and Volvo. Those who choose a fuel-cell vehicle will receive “an additional point-of-sale incentive of $1,000 to offset the current barrier of limited hydrogen fuelling locations for fuel cell vehicles” as well as the initial incentive price. All vehi-
The International Energy Agency’s Global EV Outlook “shows an increase in charging infrastructure and sales of electric vehicles as well as a decrease in battery cost.” If these trends continue to improve, it is possible that electric vehicles could make a significant contribution to slowing the effects of climate change. “This is about how we want to be living tomorrow, and in years, decades, and centuries to come,” says Argue. “Our current way of living can’t be supported longterm, and we’re already seeing and feeling the consequences.”
Map Data from Plughsare.com
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apologies need follow-through to have impact Being sorry without action is not truly being sorry
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Stephanie Davies CONTRIBUTOR
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Canadians are stereotypically known for apologizing for pretty much everything. Our extensive list notably includes apologizing for historic injustices and, in recent decades, Canadian politicians have with greater frequency formally apologizing for the racist and discriminatory actions of our predecessors. The multicultural nature of Canada means it is especially important to be aware of the various impacts these historical actions have had on marginalized groups, especially when it comes to the cause and effect of discriminatory events. On May 18, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will offer a full apology in the House of Commons for the Komagata Maru incident which occurred May 23, 1914. The Komagata Maru was a Japanese steamship that arrived in Vancouver. Aboard the ship were 376 passengers on passage from India, most of whom were Sikh. The majority of the passengers were denied access to Canada, and were sent back to India, where 19 of them were shot by British India police. In Trudeau’s speech addressing the Komagata Maru, he stated that, “As a nation, we should never for-
Shandis Harrision get the prejudice suffered by the Sikh community at the hands of the Canadian government of the day.” Even though this tragic event happened 102 years ago, this apology could give some closure to the Sikh community, since the Prime Minister is acknowledging the incident for what it was. The apology cannot change the tragedy of what happened, but it’s the gesture of a genuine apology that can
have a long-term effect for the better. By taking responsibility for an injustice that happened long ago, it shows the government’s acknowledgement that our history is not pristine, and it generates awareness that we still have a long way to go. Since 1990, there have been 15 nations, including Canada, that have included “reconciliation,” in their ways of acknowledging injustice throughout the countries’ histories.
In the 1990s, there were five formal apologies to First Nations from various Canadian institutions. In the next decade, the apologies were addressed to Indo-Canadians, Chinese Canadians, Japanese Canadians, and First Nations. However, on more occasion these formal apologies have been criticized for being no more than political ploys to drum up support for the government. When questioning whether or not
political apologies are effective, we must first consider who is the target of the apology. CBC reported in 2013 that the leaders of many B.C First Nations and cultural groups stated that they, “want[ed] political parties to stop using official apologies for historical wrongs as partisan campaign strategies.” It had been uncovered that, in 2013, the B.C. Liberal’s had an ethnic outreach document planned to get “quick wins,” by apologizing for past injustices. This leaked document is what encouraged many marginalized groups take a stand against the government, since the B.C. Liberals clearly wanted to take advantage of them. When apologizing to marginalized groups, especially Aboriginal peoples, the government hasn’t had much of an effect on their lives. This is because, when the government has apologized, they’ve done so without doing anything to improve the marginalized groups’ situation. This is a cheap attempt at justice. They haven’t been known to form new plans that would help these communities in the long run. More than mere apologies, there has to be some commitment to action, to reforming government policies and devising changes in societal structures that hold back our nation’s ideals.
CFS’ decline significant for student lobbying groups How the mighty have fallen
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Samantha Thompson EXECUTIVE EDITOR
There was a time, not too long ago, when speaking ill of the Canadian Federation of Students caused many to vehemently defend the organization’s honour, sometimes claiming that those critical of it were enemies of the student movement. It would seem those days are now behind us. The days of the CFS taking student unions to court to fight over cases of membership, of minimizing opportunities for media to cover their annual general meetings, of allegedly taking credit for other organization’s campaigns, all might finally be over. The biggest indicator of this is that one of the CFS’ loyal student unions, the Students’ Union of Vancouver Community College, is currently not participating in the activities of the CFS as they believe the national executive is operating in contempt of its membership. This follows a series of unfortunate events for both the CFS and the BC Federation of Students (formerly CFS-BC) involving court cases and departing members. Since approximately 2009, there have been critiques of the CFS at their national general meetings from a consistent group of student associations. These criticisms called for
Mark Stewart greater transparency, better internal organization, and more accountability. However, when a reform package was brought forth by the McGill Post-Graduate Students’ Society that outlined suggestions for how to address these concerns, the reforms were called “right-wing” and two camps within the CFS became more clearly defined: those who were happy with the CFS as it was, and those who wanted change. Firmly in the happy camp was the SUVCC, joined by many, many others. The CFS used to represent thousands of students across Canada, and was additionally supported by provincial chapters that ran region-focused campaigns. The CFS states on their website that they represents one-
half million students in more than 80 colleges and universities across the country, however those numbers have been disputed. For example, the Kwantlen Student Association is listed as a member, however the KSA made a decision some time ago to no longer participate in the organization even though they have been unable to terminate their membership. It is difficult to describe the CFS in any succinct way, or to adequately explain why it is significant that the SUVCC is not currently participating in the organization. But what is clear, is that the CFS’ membership numbers have been dropping, to the extent that a very high percentage of their membership is now from Ontario alone. If the CFS is truly on the decline, as
one of the country’s largest student lobbying organizations, where does that leave us? Indisputably, we need people advocating for lower tuition fees and better post-secondary education funding. There are other organizations besides the CFS with this goal. Another national lobbying organization, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, also campaigns for better post-secondary access. On a provincial level, B.C. has the Alliance of B.C. Students, who frequently meet with MLAs to express their desire for better funding programs. The KSA has tried out membership in all three of these organizations, with mixed results. All of the organizations have had their successes, and each has had
its fair share of critique. One of the great downfalls of many a student organization is continuity. Election terms are short, so those involved with an organization one year may not be the next. Staff positions help alleviate some of this incongruency, but it’s not enough. We’re in a society now that largely shies away from collective organizing—that cheers when the province shuts down a union strike, that complains about how collective organizing is going to impact their individual life, and that argues that wages are fine where they are, even if people are struggling to survive. What this means is that any organization that is seeking to collectively work together and demand better, inclusive, supportive policies from the government is facing an uphill battle. The most important thing any organization can do is respond to the needs and critiques of its membership. The CFS did not do that, and as a result they likely lost membership numbers. Other similar organizations could be facing a similar future. Even the greatest giants can fall, but this doesn’t mean we should give up on collective lobbying altogether. If we end up in a world where we have no student lobbying groups, we will immediately regret it—and watch postsecondary education become increasingly inaccessible.
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The significance of learning another language Parlez-vous une autre langue?
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Stephanie Davies CONTRIBUTOR
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The globalization of English may have reduced some anglophones’ willingness to adopt non-native tongues. Now many English speakers ask, is learning another language really worth it? Of course it is. Languages shape the world. They impact everything, from history, to art, to politics, to entire identities. From the most intimate viewpoint they shape the way people think, from the transferring of ideas, to the complexities of our very identities. North American anglophones, in particular, have a bad rep for their inability to effectively communicate with others abroad. This alone is a testament to why it’s so important to learn another language. Being monolingual limits your overall experience as a traveller. It leaves tourists feeling embarrassed and inadequate when they can’t effectively communicate. This makes your experience in a foreign place feel even more removed, as if a barrier keeps you from truly experiencing the location. While travelling, the use of another language can break down that barrier. It’s that quintessential connection that will make your trip all the more memorable, since it’s the people you meet that make the experience. It allows connections to
occur more naturally, and you never know where they can take you. Even if you’re not travelling, learning any language will improve your English, since you become more aware of how language is structured and manipulated. Being at least bilingual gives you the ability to understand, empathize, and analyze the world in ways that monolinguals cannot. There are certain intricacies that you delve into when learning a new language, including the sense of identity associated with the culture you’re learning about. The wealth of insights into a different culture can have a profound effect on several aspects of your life, including how you live it. Knowing another language naturally makes you smarter. Studies have shown that people who know two or more languages work more efficiently because of improved cognitive abilities. It’s been proven that when your brain navigates a new language, your ability to problem-solve, make decisions, and identify details improves. Since your brain is like a muscle, it operates better with exercise, which means that your overall memory improves with the use of a foreign language. There have also been several studies that show how knowing a second language helps ward off dementia and Alzheimer’s. While navigating through this world, it helps having these language tools, since they will never lose
Shandis Harrision value. Learning another language is one of the only skills that will never be obsolete. Unlike most skill-sets, it’s not tied-down to a specific time, market, or nation. It extends well beyond borders and across all intellectual spectrums. Even learning a “dead language,” such as Latin, has its benefits, since it’s the foundation for the Romance languages like Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and
Romanian. While many find learning a new language enjoyable, the most practical way to look at it (especially from a student’s point-of-view), is that it will increase job prospects. It gives you a competitive edge, making you stand out amongst others with many of the same credentials and skills. Some of the other benefits of being bilingual in the workforce include, more often
than not, getting paid a higher salary and being presented with more career opportunities, especially internationally. Whether it’s for business or pleasure, you will reap the rewards of learning a new language. Communication, after all, is the key to everything.
Hollywood’s ongoing whitewashing is problematic Nina Simone’s character should have been better cast
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Aileen Tran CONTRIBUTOR
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Hollywood has often been criticized for whitewashing, using white actors to portray people of colour. Their latest example, where Zoe Saldana portrays Nina Simone in the newly released biopic of the singer’s life, is no exception. Simone was a black woman in a racially conflicted society, in a society that does not believe or desire to see the image of confident black women. To cast a light-skinned woman in her role diminishes what Simone stood for as a very loud and proud advocate of her blackness. “It’s an insult, to our people and their struggle and to all the things that Nina stood for in her music and all the things she stood for in her life,” said Sam Waymon, Nina Simone’s brother, in an interview with Rolling Stone. While Saldana is black, and she acknowledges her African heritage,
her features are very Eurocentric. She is a long way from Simone’s features, which were considered very
“traditionally African.” Saldana’s natural face structure, her nose, lips and cheekbones, are slim compared
Scott McLelland
to Simone’s, whose iconic face was bold with full lips and nose. To better align with Simone’s facial features, Saldana wears darker makeup and molding to widen the shape of her nose. Why couldn’t they just cast someone with similar looks to Nina Simone’s, instead of casting a big name actress and then almost completely alternating her looks? Now, to say that Saldana isn’t “black enough” to play Nina Simone is a bit messy. While Saldana is a black actress, there are so many actresses—India Aries, Akosua Busia, Viola Davis, and many others—with naturally darker complexion and non-Eurocentric facial features that could’ve had this opportunity. To rephrase Viola Davis’ statement in her 2015 interview with TheWrap: darker-skinned black people in the media are ignored and aren’t given the same opportunity as the lighter-skinned black people. The same kind of discrimination goes on in the black community in general, as lighter-skinned black
people are often deemed as more desirable. This only contributes to the colourism entrenched within the African diaspora, as there is a trend of using lightening cream in Africa to achieve a lighter complexion. This trend suggests the darker you are, the further you are from beauty. This leaves everyone who does not fit into the Eurocentric beauty standards in the dust. Who better than Nina Simone’s own daughter, Simone Kelly, to know who is and who isn’t fit to play the role of her mother? Kelly doesn’t support Saldana to play her mother, nor does she support the script of the movie in general. “There are many superb actresses of color who could more adequately represent my mother and could bring her to the screen with the proper script, the proper team and a sense of wanting to bring the truth of my mother’s journey to the masses,” Simone Kelly told Rolling Stone. “And Nina, in my opinion, doesn’t do any of that.”
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The Runner Debates: Minimum Wage
Better wages, better lives
Society needs a minimum wage that meets the cost of living
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Geoffrey Nilson PHOTO EDITOR
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British Columbia holds the unfortunate honour of being the province with the lowest minimum wage and the highest cost of living. Exponential property inflation and neoliberal economics in the provincial government have proved the perfect storm for this crisis of affordability. But with renewed calls for a dramatic increase in the minimum wage, to bring it more in line with a wage that attempts to meet the cost of living, it is important to outline just who bears responsibility for correcting the problem. The ultimate goals of capitalism are profit and growth, and an organization under capitalism will act in self-interest. it will act in a manner that benefits profit and growth. This simple fact underlines the relationship of labour to an organiza-
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tion as that of a cost, or in other more direct language, a hindrance to profit. Generally speaking, wages as part of a total compensation package are one of the largest cost expenditures for most businesses. Logic dictates that if a business can figure out a way to reduce its wage costs while keeping income steady, the organization stands to make a lot more profit for its shareholders. The overall reduction of wages is incentivized as essential to the long-term success of an organization. What gets lost in this economic analysis is the human factor of the equation. In the analysis of business metrics, it’s
of the capitalist organization. That is the purpose of government. It is up to government to legislate and regulate the environments for capitalism to exist and to guarantee a marketplace free from exploitation. Minimum wage as concept came into western culture in Australia and the United Kingdom and was a direct reaction against wage exploitation. Governments have acted in the past and continue to have a duty to act because legislation and regulation are the fundamental checks on the inherently cannibalistic conditions of capitalism. Left to its devices, an organization will act in self-interest, but for an organization to make the choice that best serves its interest, that organization must be informed. And it does not seem like those voices opposed to raising the minimum wage have the information to make the best possible choices. A 2006 study published in the Harvard Business Review suggests that the traditional think-
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Minimum wage should stay where it is Merit, not entitlement
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Kyle Prince CONTRIBUTOR
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The minimum wage is being reconsidered in BC as people push to raise it once again to $15 an hour. Only problem is, minimum wage isn’t meant to be living wage. It’s meant to put a bit of spending money into high schoolers’ pockets. It’s meant to help university students make some money on the side while they get an education. It isn’t meant to support a family with growing kids. Raising the minimum wage hurts more people than it helps. In 1938,
the first raise in minimum wage (a measly 25 cents) caused massive job losses. A 2006 study of over 100 minimum wage studies found that over two thirds of those affected were getting the short end of the stick. Sure, those left working are doing well, but that leaves the majority of the people either losing their jobs or taking less hours overall. The Cato Institute claims that a 2010 analysis by Michael J. Hicks found “the latest round of minimum wage increases account for roughly 550,000 fewer part-time jobs, including ‘roughly 310,000 fewer teenagers working part-time.” This might very
well be the goal, though. Move the market away from students, and into the hands of those who need to support themselves. However, this does make it increasingly difficult to beat the vicious cycle of needing work experience to get a job. It doesn’t solve the problem—it just pushes it back a decade or two. This is looking at America, but we’re close enough neighbours to seriously consider the impact their minimum wage increases had. In 2012, Mark Wilson of the Cato Institute said in his review that, “In the previous federal minimum wage increase from $5.15 to $7.25, only
15 per cent of the workers who were expected to gain from it lived in poor households.” This leaves a huge gap between who people say they want to help, and who actually benefits. Clearly raising the minimum wage doesn’t do the job they’re hoping. In fact, the Wilson review stated, “Since 1995, eight studies have examined the income and poverty effects of minimum wage increases, and all but one have found that past minimum wage hikes had no effect on poverty.” So, not only does raising the minimum wage not benefit those who want more for their minimum-skill jobs, but the past raises have also led
to higher food and restaurant prices. It all just works together to make it harder for people to support families. Instead of complaining that putting in very little effort nets very few results, take the time to invest in the worker. I say this to individuals and society as a whole, invest in yourself. Gain skills, get some education, or even work harder at the current job and aim for a promotion. Nobody is saying it’s going to be easy, but it isn’t supposed to be easy. We reward people based on merit, not how much they think they’re entitled to.
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Diet Orange Crush no longer
NDP has strong leadership options that will help party
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Samantha Thompson EXECUTIVE EDITOR
One of my favourite memories of Tom Mulcair is when he went ziplining with Rick Mercer. He talked about his childhood, was reasonably a little scared, and also had fun flinging himself down a little wire. I think you can tell a lot about a politician by how they behave on The Rick Mercer Report. When Tom Mulcair was elected leader of the NDP, he was coming in to fill the biggest shoes the party had ever seen—those of Jack Layton’s, one of the best politicians the country has ever seen. It certainly wasn’t an easy job, but Mulcair took it on anyway. Unfortunately, the 2015 election did not result in a second orange crush for the NDP, and critics and pundits largely blamed Mulcair and an unfocused party platform.
Jonathan Allard/Wikimedia Commons The Liberals are a big tent party— they’ll proclaim this to anyone who comes within hearing distance. While the validity of this statement can be disputed, their 2015 election platform did have a little something in it for a lot of different voters. The NDP is not a big tent party, and it shouldn’t be. They have a specific, special role to play in Canadian politics, which is to
keep the political scene at least a little bit left-leaning, which keeps the other parties in check. They can do this whether they’re the governing party, the Opposition, or the third party in the House of Commons. The NDP will need to focus their party platform a lot better than they did in the last election, and emphasize certain hidden gems that distinguish
them as the choice for left-leaning Canadians. The party is lucky, in that they have many strong leaders who could effectively lead them into the next election. Megan Leslie has been touted as the ideal candidate, and she is, but she’s also said she’s not running. Other options include Niki Ashton, who ran in the 2011 race. She’s served as the NDP Post-Secondary and Youth critic, as the Status of Women critic, and as the Aboriginal Affairs critic. She’s a strong MP who has advocated for a number of key issues, including fairer mining practices in Brazil. Or maybe Charlie Angus, who is currently the NDP’s critic for Indigenous and Northern Affairs. He’s outspoken, promotes important issues like mental health, and used to be in a punk rock band (and he still plays for charity functions on occasion). Or perhaps Peter Julian, who
before entering politics was a community activist who fought to prevent a big-box store from coming to his area, as well as serving as the executive director for the Council of Canadians and advocating for greater services and support for people with disabilities. The Georgia Straight called him “one of the region’s hardest working politicians,” which is really what you need in a leader. It’s too early to say which individual person the NDP needs to lead them, but the good news is that they have options. There are NDP members who are passionate, trustworthy, hardworking and seeking justice, and any of them would contribute to a strong leadership race. Unfortunately, some of the NDP’s star candidates have announced they have no plans to run in a leadership race. But if we know one thing about Canadian politics, it’s that plans can change.
The Conservatives need to be more libertarian More “Progressive Conservative” than “Reform”
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Tristan Johnston CONTRIBUTOR
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Canadian political parties have an interesting dynamic against each other. Small dips or bumps in the popular vote can mean massive changes in the house. Because of this, our parties need to have a somewhat broad appeal. What this means is that a Conservative party that touts banning abortion and gay marriage has no place in Canada. It would be extremely difficult to even give such a party minority government, and I’m sure that, “I’d just prefer lower taxes” describes a huge base of Conservative voters. Unlike the Americans, our political conservatives don’t get up on stage together and talk about who hates abortion/women the most.
Stephen Harper understood this, and made sure that none of this hardright social conservatism made much headway in the party. The Conservatives should take this a step further and inch towards libertarianism if they hope to attract younger voters. The Conservatives in 2011 were the party of economic competency. The party of 2015 was one of xenophobia and niqab-nonsense, a huge turn-off to potential young voters and a large immigrant base. For this reason I look towards Maxime Bernier, an MP from Quebec. His attitude towards marijuana would put him in line with NDP and Liberal policies. In an interview with the CBC, he said that he was for legalization, depending on how it’s done. Bernier has also said he would end subsidies for big business, which would be a shock to Canadians used to Harper-style conservatism.
Among other potential options for the Conservatives would be Kellie Leitch, an Ontario MP and former cabinet minister for labour and the
CherrieCullen/Wikimedia Commons
status of women. She’s also an orthopedic surgeon, but opposed to the legalization of marijuana. Bernier and Leitch are the only two who have actually filled out the paperwork and put up their deposit. There are plenty of other people who have expressed interest, most notably Kevin O’Leary and Peter MacKay. Some are saying that O’Leary is like the “Trump of Canada” for offering to invest $1-million in Alberta if Rachel Notley resigns, being a reality television personality, and for admitting that he was inspired by The Donald. When we look at polls, both O’Leary and Mackay rank the highest. MacKay, who already has party leadership experience with the nowdefunct Progressive Conservative party, and considerable cabinet experience, is being eyed by many as a potential successor. However, MacKay didn’t run in the 2015 election, and
he now sits behind a desk at Baker & McKenzie, a law firm in Toronto. In an interview with The Globe and Mail, MacKay says that he hasn’t “ruled out” a leadership bid. Many columnist have described MacKay as a “red Tory,” which makes sense given his past time with the PCs. This can be seen in some of his social positions. “I wasn’t the engineer, let’s say, of things like niqab legislation,” he said to The Globe and Mail. At the moment, I hope that MacKay or Bernier win the leadership bid, as both would likely nudge the party a little to the left. And while it’s a stretch to suggest he’s “Trumplike,” O’Leary wouldn’t be as good as someone with actual experience passing laws.
Runner-Run Down: Choosing a leader in Canada and the U.S. It can get pretty complicated, so here’s a brief refresher
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Kyrsten Downton CONTRIBUTOR
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At the moment both the Canadian and American political systems are going through an era of upheaval. While the Republicans and Democrats struggle to find their respective presidential candidates, the Conservatives and NDP are preparing to choose their leadership after significant defeats in the last election. Despite being neighbours, the process of choosing the political party leaders in these two nations can differ wildly.
In the U.S., each state holds a primary election to determine who receives support from the major parties’ delegates in that state. Depending on the form of election each state chooses, the voters either submit their votes by ballot or by taking sides in a room and openly debating who would make the strongest candidate. However, the votes that the citizens cast do not directly go to the candidate. Instead, they are given to people called delegates, who are often state representatives or officials. Depending on the state, delegates may not be required to hand the votes to the candidate the voters have chosen. Some states allow them to ignore
the citizens and vote for whomever the delegates want. After the primaries are over, the delegates for each political party gather and carry out the official vote for the presidential nominee. This gathering is called the national convention. The conventions also feature super delegates who represent the actual political party, such as congressmen or past presidents. They can vote for whomever they want and can take up to twenty per cent of the vote at the national convention. Unlike the U.S., Canada does not hold public primary elections. Instead, political parties will host what
is known as a leadership convention. There, the political party and its members will vote on their new leader themselves. Leadership conventions are generally a one-member-one-vote system, meaning that each ballot carries the same weight. However, many of the parties have modified the system so that certain votes are weighed differently to try to ensure equality amongst the ridings. Before the convention takes place, each riding association will hold a meeting where they decide on a number of delegates that will represent the riding at the convention. In addition to the other delegates, there is also a group of ex-officio del-
egates, who are entitled to a vote due to their position in the political party. For example, any elected member of parliament for that party would automatically have the right to vote at a leadership convention. Also unlike the U.S., where a new presidential candidate is nominated every four years in at least one party, Canadian leadership conventions do not happen with the same predictable frequency. The leader will stay in power until he or she resigns, is voted out, or in some cases, passes away.
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Going Global Conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh Region
Artist Spotlight: Angelmaker
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Tristan Johnston
COORDINATING EDITOR
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Early last month, fighting broke out again in the Nagorno-Karabakh region for the first time in years, when about 30 soldiers lost their lives in a violent skirmish. This is a reminder that the breakup of the Soviet Union can still be felt in former client states of Russia. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been under a ceasefire agreement - not a truce or peace agreement since 1994, when the war between the two countries ended after Russia stepped in to negotiate peace. The self-declared Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is a region within Azerbaijan, but is populated primarily by ethnic Armenians. As one might expect, it’s a conflict that invokes extremely strong reactions in people on both sides, like a Palestinian-Israeli conflict for the Caucuses. In fact, there are even some parallels to draw, in that Armenians are predominantly Christian, and Azerbaijanis are mostly Shia Muslim. This is not the only troubled region in the area—much of the Caucasus region continues to have difficulties with breakaway states like South Ossetia and Azkhaba in Geor-
gia. Russia went to war with Georgia in 2008 when they came to the aid of separatists. They eventually won, and the separatists now have control over their respective contested areas. Why is there so much fighting all the time in this area? I haven’t even mentioned Chechnya yet, which is just north of the Caucasian mountains. I would argue that it comes down to Russia. This is a country whose history, if read like a poem, would have a constant chorus of “and then we were invaded.” This is because the core industrial and farming areas of Russia are concentrated near Moscow, St. Petersburg, and much of the area in the West. A destabilized Caucasus region isn’t bad for Russia because it keeps them from getting too strong or united to oppose Russian influence. In fact, Russia at one time sold weapons to both sides in the Azerbaijan-Armenian war. Today, the situation is still confusing. Russia currently has 5,000 troops stationed in Armenia, and extended a $200-million loan to the country for the purpose of buying discounted weapons. Russia has also sold $4-billion worth of artillery, helicopters and tanks to Azerbaijan between 2009 and 2011. Peace talks have been attempted
many times, usually mediated by Russia, France and the United States in cooperation with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. It’s difficult for both sides to come to an agreement, politically speaking, Nagorno-Karabakh is a nationalist issue on both sides, and either country accepting less than ideal is subject to any angry voter base. It also needs to be said that a pipeline built between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan would damage Russia’s already awkward oil and gas situation. Should a pipeline across the Caspian Sea be constructed, it would eliminate the need for Central Asian countries to move their product through Russia to deliver to the European market. It’s no secret that Russia vehemently opposes this pipeline idea. It’s for this reason that Russia has had slightly more preference to Baku over the last several years. Azerbaijan likes getting assistance from Russia, so it’s in their interest not to make such a move. However, Russia still helps out Armenia from time to time, using these minor dealing as leverage against Azerbaijan. However, it would be unfair to characterize Russia as the engineer of the conflict, they actually have less influence here than in the Ukraine. Much of the conflict can be blamed on both sides, as Armenia and Azerbaijan have been stoking their own flames with propaganda. Regardless, a full scale war would be bad. Last time both countries fought in the 1990s, 20,000 people were killed, and over a million people were left homeless. Now, both sides have substantially more advanced weaponry, and both Russia and Turkey (via their relationship with Baku) have interests. Danielle George
Vancouver’s most “brutiful” band Aly Laube
CONTRIBUTOR
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This melodic deathcore band has an enormous sound and an equally sizeable member count. Between bassist Cole Rideout, lead guitarist Matt Perrin, rhythm guitarist Colton Bennett, drummer Jesse Price, and vocalists Mike Greenwood and Casey Tyson Pierce, the group boasts a resounding six members. With the exception of Perrin and Greenwood, all of them have been there since day one, when they were performing as a metal cover band called The Human Condition. Now, they’ve completed their fourth album, Dissentient, a tentrack LP and Angelmaker’s first full release. “We wanted to take the sound we had and push it to the next level, without losing touch with our roots,” says Colton. “I wouldn’t say there was a definite theme. We wanted Dissentient to sound spooky, sad, and angry, but we also wanted people to listen to it and say, ‘Hey, this sounds like original deathcore!’” It seems they’ve accomplished that goal—comments on the band’s newest album have mostly expressed excitement and relief. The general consensus seems to be that the golden days of original deathcore are thoroughly missed, and for many, Angelmaker fills that void. Dissentient in particular has received praise for its originality, perhaps because it marks a technical departure from the group’s past work. As described by the band, “It’s faster and it has a greater ambience, elaborate vocal
patterns, and guitar solos that really shred!” In regards to how Angelmaker views themselves, they would use the word “brutiful,” a combination of “brutal” and “beautiful.” It’s an apt tag for any admirable melodic deathcore band, but it suits them especially well. The band’s three guitarists ensure that melody is never lost in the noise, keeping the sound clean without losing power, volume, or heaviness. “We are a group of passionate, angry people making brutal, melodic death metal,” summarizes Bennett. Also, “we’re all best friends that bring our own unique flavour to the band and the music itself.” Touring and recording is definitely in the cards for Angelmaker, but not for “at least another year.” They’re still writing music, being careful to progress while preserving their well-adored sound. “It’s always been extremely important to us to stay close to our roots. Our style will only progress but never change entirely,” they promise. And local shows will be as common as ever. “Having a six-piece band makes playing small stages extremely difficult, but pooling money together for gear and merch is simple. Our live
Taking Back History Women in Defiance //
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Samantha Thompson EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Recent transphobic debate in the United States has brought out once again the poignant reminder that transgender individuals face discrimination in many different ways. The debates currently surround “bathroom bills,” which require, by law, that people use restrooms that conform to the sex listed on their birth certificates. A protester’s sign circulating social media aptly describes the situation: “It wasn’t about water fountains in the ‘60s, and it isn’t about bathrooms now. Stop the hate.”
While many people are supporting the trans community, there is still a ridiculous amount of transphobic behaviour that goes on, on a regular basis, and this transphobia is not new. Carmen Rupe was a Māori transgender woman who worked tirelessly to address discrimination. She was also a brothel-keeper, drag performer, mayoral candidate, and HIV/AIDS activist, and spent much of her life living in New Zealand and Australia. She is often seen as a transgender icon and inspiration, particularly in the 1960s and ‘70s. She’s inspired documentaries, an opera, and multiple portraits. She grew up working on her family’s farm, with a dozen siblings. In 1955 she was conscripted and began
military training as a nurse. According to the Amazing Women in History website, she did an impression of American cabaret star Eartha Kitt during a concert, and received a standing ovation. Soon after she moved to Sydney, and took her name Carmen. She became the first Māori drag performer, and her first show involved hula dancing and live snakes. Discrimination against the LGBTQ community was prominent in Sydney at the time, and Rupe was arrested on multiple occasions. She said that the police would beat her up, “But it made me a stronger person today.” Later she would move to Wellington, New Zealand, where she ran Carmen’s International Coffee Lounge
and the Balcony strip club. According to an article in the Dominion Post, the coffee house opened when the pubs closed at 6 p.m., attracting a full spectrum of Wellington nightlife. Some would go for a cup of tea, but others would use their teacup to indicate other interests. Turning a teacup upside down or placing the saucer on top could demonstrate that you wanted something besides a hot beverage, from the rooms upstairs. In 1977, Rupe ran for the position of mayor in Wellington. Although she was unsuccessful, she ran on a number of reforms, including the legalization of abortion, homosexuality, and sex work, as well as earlier sex education, and nudity on beaches—all of which have since been implemented.
She nearly won one of the council seats. Although she died in 2011, she’s left behind a legacy—most recently, a series of traffic lights in Wellington will soon feature her silhouette in the green light. In 2013 the Carmen Rupe Memorial Trust was established to mobilize the transgender community and its allies to perform social justice work, and to increase the visibility of the trans community. According to a post on the Facebook page, Memories of Carmen Rupe, to those annoying her Rupe would say, “Look, there’s a bus in five minutes. Be under it.” It is perhaps a fitting response to those still advocating for absurd bathroom laws.
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