Vol. 5 Issue 10 by The Runner

Feb

THE

2013 FIGHTING the MAN since 2009

/09/

WHY YOUR BOG VOTE MATTERS

/15/

WHICH KSA CANDIDATES DESERVE YOUR VOTE

find us online / www.runnermag.ca / twitter.com/runnermag /

facebook.com/runnerpaper

MASTHEAD

THE RUNNER

FEB / 27 / 2013

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THE

Shit Harper Did Comedy Tour

The Runner is student owned and operated by Kwantlen Polytechnic University students, published under Polytechnic Ink Publishing Society Arbutus 3710/3720 12666 72 Ave. Surrey, B.C., V3W 2MB 778.565.3801

Thursday, March 14 @ 6:30-8 p.m. Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Fir 128, Surrey campus From the award-winning comedians that brought you ShitHarperDid.Com comes a live comedy tour of universities and colleges in the Lower Mainland in BC. You’re invited to join us for the improvisational stylings of The Sunday Service (recently named “Canada’s Best Improv Group”) hosted by Graham Clark (awarded “Canada’s Best Podcast”). The comedy show will be followed by presentations by Brigette DePape (the Senate Rogue Page) and founder of ShitHarperDid.com, Sean Devlin.

www.runnermag.ca Vol. 05, Issue no. 10 February 27, 2013 ISSN# 1916 8241

EDITORIAL DIVISON Co-ordinating Editor / Jeff Groat editor@runnermag.ca / 778.565.3803

Vote in the KSA election and referendum

Culture Editor / Max Hirtz

Wednesday & Thursday, February 27 & 28 @ 9 a.m-5 p.m.

culture@runnermag.ca / 778.565.3804

Cloverdale – Across from the Cafeteria Langley – Bookstore Hallway Richmond – Rotunda Surrey – Main Atrium Corridor

News Editor / Matt DiMera news@runnermag.ca / 778.565.3805

Production Editor / Roland Nguyen production@runnermag.ca / 778.565.3806

Vote for your representatives to the Kwantlen Student Association and have your say on the U-Pass, the creation of a Public Interest Research Group, and funding The Runner. Each voter must show a valid Student ID to receive a ballot.

Media Editor / Kimiya Shokoohi media@runnermag.ca / 778.565.3806

Associate News Editors / Sarah Schuchard / Chloe Smith / Sasha Mann Associate Culture Editor / Tabitha Swanson Associate Opinion Editor / Hannah Ackeral Associate Photo Editor / Vacant Associate Sports Editor / Brian Jones Associate Art Director / Sylvia Dang Associate Copy Editor / Elizabeth Hann

CONTRIBUTORS Brendan Tyndall

Cover Photo / Roland Nguyen

BUSINESS DIVISION Operation Manager / Victoria Almond office@runnermag.ca / 778.565.3801

Fatima Zaidi, an elected KSA arts faculty representative has started a new project in which students can come into the KSA’s Surrey office on their birthday and receive a gift purchased from a dollar store to help them feel “special on their special day.” Admittedly, the amount of money being wasted is small, but it’s the principle that irks us. Of all of the serious issues facing students, potential projects or events that KSA elected officials could be working on, Zaidi decided that giving out cheap dollar store junk would help students to appreciate the KSA. We’re telling you that it won’t. Stop messing around and find something to do that actually benefits students.

Rip-Off Kwantlen

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THE RUNNER

NEWS

FEB / 27 / 2013

KSA

KSA business rep disciplined by council for ‘unbecoming conduct’

MATT DIMERA NEWS EDITOR

Yasir Raja, a current business faculty representative on the Kwantlen Student Association (KSA), was disciplined by council last month. Raja, who is also running for re-election, was issued an official warning for allegedly making “frivolous and vexatious complaints” and had his January honorarium reduced to $0 for “conduct unbecoming of a director of the society.” The decision came after a 45-minute closed door in-camera session at the Jan. 16 KSA council meeting. Raja was not in attendance at the meeting. In October, Raja was voted out as chair of the KSA’s finance committee and replaced with Punit Ghuman. No explanation for his ouster was recorded in the KSA’s minutes. KSA spokesperson and chairperson of their executive committee Christopher Girodat declined to give specifics about why Raja had been disciplined. “That’s a board of directors issue between the board of directors and Yasir, therefore it’s confidential and I’m not able to provide comment on that,” said Girodat.

However, according to KSA sources, the discipline came after Raja made serious allegations against current director of finance Tony Chiao. In late 2012, the KSA investigated and subsequently exonerated Chiao of harassment, after Raja alleged in early December that Chiao was incompetent and that Chiao had stalked him via Facebook and had singled him out because of a personal grudge. The KSA committee that investigated Raja’s complaint not only cleared Chiao, but had harsh words for his accuser in an internal report: “Yasir Raja has been very disrespectful of everyone’s time and efforts on this file. He made a complaint to the Standing Committee on Governance against Tony Chiao. After this complaint, he did not appear at the Standing Committee on Governance when he was asked to. Since then, he has not attended any of the Standing Committee on Finance meetings, or the regular Council meeting(s),” read the committee report. “He has also been caught lying to the Standing Committee on Governance, failed to respond to emails in due time, failed to comply with the decision of the Complaint Resolution Sub-Committee, and when he was not satisfied with the decision, simply said he wanted to drop the original complaint.”

The committee subsequently recommended that Raja not receive his January honorarium and that Raja be discouraged from running for election in the next term. They also suggested that if Raja were to run again, that it should be recommended at the next annual general meeting that he be put in bad standing to prevent him from doing so. Raja’s complaint against Chiao seemingly stemmed from last summer and fall when the KSA executive committee raised serious questions and had reservations about spending and receipts submitted by Yasir Raja and the Kwantlen Cricket Club (KCC). The KSA’s minutes paint a picture of an ongoing struggle between the KSA executive and the KCC regarding funding. In June 2012, Raja submitted a funding request so that Kwantlen could host a cricket tournament, which was scheduled to end on July 22, 2012. The KSA executive committee approved $2,300 for the tournament to pay for insurance and ground bookings. In July, the KSA discovered that Kwantlen had not and was not hosting a tournament as had previously been explained. By this point the KCC team had already received the money from the KSA. When the KSA asked for an explanation, they were allegedly told that the cricket club

KSA business faculty rep Yasir Raja was disciplined in January for ‘unbecoming conduct.’ Chloe Smith/The Runner

had been unable to host a tournament, but had instead used the money to attend a different tournament hosted by someone else. The KSA executive eventually relented and went against their own policies to make an exception for the KCC. Raja did not respond to email and telephone requests for an interview before The Runner’s deadline. According to Girodat, the Kwantlen Cricket Club still has other unresolved financial issues with the KSA. “The Kwantlen Cricket Club does currently have outstanding expenses, which have been claimed, but has not been reimbursed. The KSA is not satisfied with the supporting documentation provided, since that club had previously been issued a warning for its financial relationship with the KSA, and since it’s a continued issue, these expenses were rejected,” Girodat told The Runner in a Feb. 24 phone interview “Other than these outstanding expenses, ultimately, most of these issues were resolved when the executive committee agreed after much discussion to make extraordinary exceptions to policy surrounding supporting documentation.”

THE RUNNER

notice of poll:

GENERAL

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FEB / 27 / 13

notice of referendum:

GENERAL

KSA

ELECTION and REFERENDUM

february 27 – 28, 2013 february 27 – 28, 2013 Each voter must show a valid Student ID to receive a ballot

General Election Polling and Referendum

Wednesday, February 27, 2013, 9 AM – 5 PM

Cloverdale – Across from the Cafeteria Langley – Bookstore Hallway Richmond – Rotunda Surrey – Main Atrium Corridor

General Election Polling and Referendum

Thursday, February 28, 2013, 9 AM – 5 PM Cloverdale – Across from the Cafeteria Langley – Bookstore Hallway Richmond – Rotunda Surrey – Main Atrium Corridor

Referendum Committees Per KSA Regulations Article 6 sec 16 (viii), I publicize the availability of funding for a YES and a NO committee for each of Referendum Questions 1 and 2, and for a NO committee for Referendum Question 3. Funding details can be found in Article 6. For more information, contact the CRO. For the full notice of poll for the KSA general election, visit:

Each voter must show a valid Student ID to receive a ballot

Referendum Question 1:

U-Pass B.C. Program Do you agree that the U-Pass B.C. program be continued for all Kwantlen Polytechnic University students for $35.00 per month of study for the first year, for $36.75 per month of study for the second year, and for $38.00 per month of study for the third year?

Referendum Question 2:

Public Interest Research Group Do you support creating an independent Kwantlen Public Interest Research Group at a cost of 80¢ per credit per semester, and thereafter adjusted annually for inflation according to the Canadian Consumer Price Index (CPI), provided that every student will be able to opt out?

Referendum Question 3:

Student Publication Fee Do you support increasing the Student Publication (The Runner) fee to $0.89 per credit per semester, and thereafter adjusted annually for inflation according to the Canadian Consumer Price Index (CPI), provided that every student will be able to opt out? For the full notice of the KSA referendum, visit:

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THE RUNNER

NEWS

FEB / 27 / 2013

Marijuana

Richard Hosein and Dana Larsen pose after a discussion around marijuana and drug policy at Kwantlen’s Surrey campus. Runner File Photo

Student association takes stance in support of medical marijuana on campus KSA advocates for designated smoking areas.

BRENDAN TYNDALL CONTRIBUTOR

Medicinal marijuana users should be allowed to smoke pot on campus, according to the Kwantlen Student Association (KSA). The KSA adopted a new policy around medical marijuana use on Feb. 6, 2013, supporting the creation of designated areas on all Kwantlen campuses, specifically for the use of medicinal marijuana. It also condemns discrimination against those who use the drug for medicinal purposes. The KSA hopes that Kwantlen’s administration will revise its zero-tolerance drug policy in order to be more accommodating of those who rely on the drug for health reasons. “We felt it necessary that the student association have a direction whereby it can then approach the university for lobbying, internally or externally,” says Arzo Ansary, the KSA’s director of external affairs. Kwantlen currently has a policy in position to discipline students found to be consuming alcoholic beverages or using nonmedicinal drugs on campus. The policy says

that the student found to be using intoxicating substances on campus is subject to being kicked off campus grounds, or, in certain situations, suspended or expelled. Even though the wording of the university’s policy refers specifically to “the non-medical use of drugs,” there is no university policy in place protecting users of medicinal marijuana from the prosecution or discrimination they might face as a result of their chosen medicine. Richard Hosein is the KSA’s students of colour constituency representative and is also the president of the Kwantlen chapter of Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policies (CSSP), a group concerned with the negative impacts of Canadian drug policies and laws. He says that cannabis users are stigmatized compared to users of other drugs such as prescription medicine and alcohol. Hosein and the CSSP see the use of drugs as a public health issue, not a criminal justice issue, and are advocating for accessible education regarding drugs to be made available to the public so that they can make more informed choices. Like the KSA, Hosein is also hoping to see Kwantlen designate a special area on campus for medicinal marijuana

use. While there is plenty of support within the KSA for the creation of an area on campus to use medicinal marijuana, the student association must now convince the university of the benefits of creating such a space. “The next step is to start with a plan, a multi-pronged approach, of contacting the university, having a meeting with their student life department, having a meeting with security, having a meeting with all relative parties to this zero drug policy,” says Ansary. Meanwhile, the Kwantlen CSSP continues to provide education about the benefits of cannabis to students at Kwantlen. On Feb. 20, as part of its ongoing cannabis education series, the group hosted a discussion by Dana Larsen, the leader of the Sensible B.C. movement, which campaigns to provide information regarding the benefits of cannabis in order to open up the debate about its legalization in B.C. Despite student support, ultimately the decision to revise the university’s drug policies regarding medicinal marijuana users rests with the university’s administration.

NEWS

THE RUNNER

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FEB / 27 / 2013

Richard hosein 2nd year POLICY STUDIES Reason for Running: The Kwantlen Student Association (KSA) politics are all good, but I think that we can make more of a significant impact at the higher KPU governance level. We don’t have child care on campus, which a lot of other institutions do. Kwantlen is still kind of trying to catch up. I think if I’m [on the] board of governors . . . we could get something going along those lines. We’re not on an improved waste management system, like the [rest of the] City of Surrey. We should encourage a more sustainable practice on campus. There’s more of a significant impact to be made on the board of governors to the KPU administration, and students need a strong voice on board of governors in order to do these things, and I think I could be one of those strong voices. Why Students Should Choose Him: Most students know I’m a pretty active student on campus. I’m really passionate about getting students involved and representing students in anyway I can, [those] things are really important for me, especially the social justice aspect of

CHRISTopher GIRODAT 2Nd year POLICY STUDIES Reason for Running: I’m running for the board of governors because I think we’ve had a history of ineffective board members, not this year, but certainly in several years previously. And I think that we need to get the administration to take student concerns seriously, and I think that I’m equipped to make that happen. Why Students Should Choose Him: I’ve proven an ability to persuade the university administration. This is true when it comes to creating a working group to deal with copyright modernization at the senate level. It’s true when it comes to me convincing the administration to increase student representation on senior search committees considerably, in some cases doubling it. So I think I have a proven track record of being able to forge relationships with the administration and to actually make the student voice a respected perspective at the table.

AHMAD KHESLAT 1st year BUSINESS MGMT Unavailable for interview before deadline. Candidate Statement: I am a new immigrant to Canada and have been a Kwantlen student for over a year now. Kwantlen Polytechnic University has enrolled International and multicultural students from all around the world. As an immigrant, I understand the com-

it.

I’m heavily engaged in the community myself, and I’m running for the provincial political elections as well. so I really want to be an engaged citizen and try to make the best impact I can. What Issues Will He Take on If Elected: We need a child care program here on campus. A child care policy would be really important. I think the KSA is already on board with a harvest box program, but I don’t know if that would be on the BOG’s jurisdiction but it’s good to address those things as well. There is student poverty, which is pretty rampant as well. In order to encourage people in academia there has to provisions there for them, like child care or even transportation. I’d like to lobby the provincial government and TransLink though the BOG to get a public transit system that goes all the way to Newton, because I don’t think it’s adequate enough for studentsespecially [because] we do have a significant student body that that doesn’t live in Surrey that has to travel from out of town. The KSA does offer a shuttle but I think there needs to be a greater investment from the province and perhaps even the city to get involved.

What Issues Will He Take on If Elected: First of all, I hope to continue to boost student representation on working groups and committees across the university, making sure that there are more student voices and we’re not drowned out by faculty and administration and staff. Second of all, I actually want to work on a really big safety campaign on our campuses. So whether that’s making sure that campuses are better lit at night, whether it’s installing blue emergency phones that have become a mainstay at some other institutions, that we don’t have despite the fact that our campuses can be pretty dark and big at night when you’re by yourself, those are the sort of things that I’m looking at doing; a safe walk program. Things like that, that’s the influence that you get when you’re on the board of governors can be a huge help when you’re talking to the vice-provost of students, the president, whoever, who can actually make those things happen. It puts you in a good position to connect with them and to convince them that these things should happen because students deserve them.

plex situations facing multicultural students. I have the ability to communicate in Persian (Iranian), Dari (Afghan Persian) Pashto, Urdu, Hindi, Uzbek, and I understand Turkish, Punjabi and Tajiki. Previously I worked as coordinator to the President of Afghanistan National Olympic Committee on International Relations and Sports Federations. I was the voice of Sports Federations in Board Decision making. I present myself as a candidate to the Board of Governors representing students as I believe that I can fairly and strongly represent students’ voices to the board.

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THE RUNNER

Sorry Kwantlen, we know that you’re well past your breaking point on student elections, but after the KSA elections and referenda this week are the annual elections for the Kwantlen board of governors (BOG) and senate. This year only four students were nominated for the four student seats on senate, so they were automatically acclaimed. However, that still leaves eight students battling it out for the two student representative seats on the BOG. Without further ado, here they are. Check out page 10 for our editorial take on this year’s race and the candidates. You can cast your vote online between March 8-11 at mykwantlen.ca

FEB / 27 / 2013

NEWS

Race for the board

KARi MICHAELS 3Rd year PHILOSOPHY Reason for Running: I am running for BOG because while I’ve been heavily involved in academic advocacy for students in terms of senate and fighting for student right in classrooms, I would like to start being able to represent students on the BOG. [They deal] a lot with the institution as a whole, and how we are represented out in the communities, and the side of the institution that makes the decisions that are best for student in regards to tuition fees and the overall direction of the university. Why Students Should Choose Her: Students should vote for me because I have no problem challenging people with authority on things that matter for us. I think that critical perspective needs to be

ARZO ANSARY 3Rd yEAr PSYCHOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY Reason for Running: The board is one of the highest decision making bodies at Kwantlen and a lot of the decisions that the board of governors makes are sort of unheard of in terms of the student body. We don’t pay attention a lot to what’s happening and the students need a strong voice at the board who can represent them, who has the time to go and attend the meetings, and who has their best interests at heart. And as a body that is in charge of everything from tuition, to parking, to hiring, to the way fees are administered and collected: everything, I think it’s very important to have a strong student voice and I think I can bring that to the table. Why Students Should Choose Her: I come from a background where it’s so varied and diverse that when I sit at that table, I will be speaking with the perspective of somebody who has been through the most rigorous tests of bureaucracy I can possibly think of.

brought to the table because I feel like the people previously who have been on the BOG over the years have done very little to actually raise issues that are critical of the status quo of university operations. I think that I’ve been well connected with students on campus in terms of being available to listen to issues — understanding the climate of our campus — and so I would be very receptive to individual student needs as well as a group getting together to find out how we want to move our university forward. What Issues Will She Take on If Elected: I would bring changes that, I would say first of all, to the underlying attitude that you’re there to represent the institution rather than a particular group. I would make it very clear that the institution is the students and that any decisions that we need to make the bottom line is the students and not the budget. The budget should feed into how we want to provide services and programs for students. I would also turn down the suck; turn up the cool.

Being a woman, and then being a coloured woman, and then being a single mother who is also a full time student and a full time employee, you get to have a perspective of students who most need a representative on a board like that. And that is what I bring. What Issues Will She Take on If Elected: I really, really want to address three key things. I’d like to talk about international student fees: the way that the decision is made, the percentage increase that we have, and irregardless of the fact that the provincial government does not have a cap on international tuition, we as an institution can still advocate for one. I’d like to focus on that. I’d like to focus on issues of parking. And the main one that I’d really really like to focus on is childcare facilities on campus. And to continue the momentum from the previous board members, which is the longer library hours. Extend services to students that benefit students. Like keeping the library open for longer. Like having more resources available for students to use on campus. Space for students, like a peer counselling centre, social justice space: areas that students can congregate and be university students at.

NEWS

THE RUNNER

FEB / 27 / 2013

Fatima ZAIDI 2Nd year CRIMINOLOGY Reason for Running: The board of governors [makes} business decisions for university and I think it’s really really important to have student perspective on the board, and be able to meditate with students and keep them on board with what’s going on, on the board of governors. And just being able to bring a student perspective on the board is really important because even though university is a business, it’s also a place where students come in and they pay their money and they’re paying for education. So we want to make sure that by bringing a student perspective to the board, their voice can be heard better in business decisions I guess. Why Students Should Choose Her: Most students know I’m a pretty active student on campus. I am a very honest and straightforward person.

STEVEN BUTTON 3rd year philosophy Reason for Running: I’m running for the board of governors because I think I would do a good job at it. I don’t have a really great understanding of what the role entails. I kind of threw my hat into the ring because I come from a professional background; I worked in IT for seven years before I came back to school and I’m just interested in these sorts of things. Why Students Should Choose Him: I’m not a politician. I would vote for me because I’m not a politician. I don’t really know how to dodge questions and I don’t interview very well. But, what I do have going for me is that I’m honest and hardworking.

TABITHA SWANSON 2nd YEAR FASHION MARKETING Reason for Running: Since I’ve come to Kwantlen I’ve noticed a problem that there so many students waiting on wait-lists to get in to their programs and there are too many people stuck in second year. It can be really unmotivating and a lot of them transfer to different schools. I think it’s something that has to be fixed. I am looking to advocate for students while on the board, to get more funding for classes. Kwantlen is really growing and they need to revise some of their policies to make it a more concise and meaningful experience for their students. Why Students Should Choose Her: I’m not doing this as a resumé builder, I’m not doing this just for the status, for the title. I’m doing it because I want to make a difference.

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I always do my job to the best of my ability. Most of the time I am an overachiever. I like to make things happen. I am good at being able to put my personal opinion aside and be able to truly represent the voice of the people that I represent. I don’t know if that makes sense. So instead of my personal beliefs, I look at what students want and bring that to the board rather than my personal opinion as a person, as an individual. What Issues Will She Take on If Elected: To me I think diversity is really important. And issues, there are always new issues coming up as we progress as a society. And to me personally, I think diversity and equality is what matters more and that’s what I would love to push forward. But at the same time, if any other issues come up that students seems really passionate about and want me to bring that thing to the board, I will do that too.

I’m not afraid to jump in and get my hands dirty in dealing with upper-level administration. I always answer fully and truthfully. What Issues Will He Take on If Elected: There’s a lot of issues that come to mind, but nothing that I can say that can be definitively fixed. But the issues of communication, between the faculty, between the administration and between students. I think it would be naive for me to think that I could jump in there and fix everything though, because the administration has been dealing with that problem for many years. But I hope to keep it in the spotlight and help figure out ways of getting information that students actually want and in a timely manner to them.

I think that there are some problems at Kwantlen and before anyone appreciates Kwantlen to its full extent and its potential, these problems need to be fixed. I think there’s a lot that Kwantlen can offer all of its students. What Issues Will She Take on If Elected: The problem with students getting into problems and being wait-listed to get into their programs. Some of them are wait-listed for years. Out of the small pocket of people that I know quite a few of my friends have been on wait-lists and a lot of them have transferred. The retention rate at Kwantlen is suffering because of it.

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THE RUNNER

EDITORIAL

FEB / 27 / 2013

Why your vote for the board of governors student representatives matters The Runner endorses the candidates we believe can make a difference. The student representatives on Kwantlen’s board of governors have too often been silent and invisible to the students for whom they purportedly speak. The tragedy is that these reps sit on arguably the most powerful body on campus, yet have rarely done much to further student interests. While the two student seats don’t have enough power to override the appointed majority on the board, they have direct access to the university’s true decision-makers;

a board that is often far-removed from the practical realities of the student experience and the university. Unfortunately, the Kwantlen board of governors elections have a long history of attracting opportunists as candidates. These self-serving student politicians have run, not because they were interested in helping or representing students, but so that they could add another line to their resumé, or to network with connections who could further

their academic or professional futures. These types of candidates have largely been useless as student representatives. They have made hollow promises during their election campaigns and then squandered their opportunity during their terms. The Runner interviewed seven out of the eight candidates running in this year’s election. We based our evaluations on the candidates’ grasp of the duties of the board, on whether they had done any sort of research

before deciding to run, and on their plans if they do get elected. The board only meets five times during the year, so a good candidate must hit the ground running if they want to accomplish their goals. We’ve decided to not limit our endorsements to two candidates. We have however separated the best from the . . . rest.

ENDORSED CANDIDATES

KARI MICHAELS

RICHARD HOSEIN

Kari Michaels has been a passionate and vocal advocate for students and for increased diversity initiatives during her current term on the university senate and would be a powerful addition to the board of governors. Michaels has repeatedly proven herself as a hardworking and capable voice for students.

Richard Hosein is a much newer face in Kwantlen student politics, but has quickly proven himself as a leader and proponent of social justice and environmental causes. While not as experienced with the university’s structures and processes, we think he will quickly get up to speed.

ARZO ANSARY

CHRIS GIRODAT

Arzo Ansary is a political dynamo and her sharp mind and even sharper tongue may be just what the board of governors needs to shake it out of its complacency. Though she understands the subtler nuances of diplomacy, she isn’t afraid to speak her mind.

Christopher Girodat is involved in almost all student political arenas at Kwantlen and would be a welcome addition to the board. Our only caution is that with so many responsibilities, there’s only so much one person can do, before some of them start to slip.

Fatima Zaidi

Ahmad Kheslat

Steven Button

Tabitha Swanson

Fatima Zaidi is supremely confident in her own abilities and in time she may yet prove herself as a valuable student representative, but she isn’t there yet. Her tenure at the KSA has been largely uneventful. She lacked basic knowledge of the board of governors’ workings, had never attended a meeting and had no concrete plans to implement if she were elected.

Ahmad Kheslat seems to be well-intended and is also running for the first time for the KSA. However, he lacked basic awareness of board governance and wouldn’t be our first choice as a student representative.

Steven Button is opinionated and has the skills to be a capable representative, but lacks sufficient experience wih KPU governance structure. In his candidate statement, he explained that he wants to fix how the university communicates with students. While this is certainly a worthy issue that deserves addressing, the board of governors isn’t the proper forum.

Tabitha Swanson is a passionate student who has used every opportunity available to her to get involved with Kwantlen. However, she lacks the necessary experience to make an effective board of governors representative as of yet. After she has gained some experience on the senate, she will likely become a formidable candidate.

NTS OF Y

THE RUNNER

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FEB / 27 / 2013

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CULTURE

THE RUNNER

FEB / 27 / 2013

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Top five romantic horror movies for your post-Valentines Day blues

CHRIS HARCUS CONTRIBUTOR

Shaun of the Dead:

Let the Right One In:

Edward Scissorhands:

Shaun of the Dead follows Shaun, a

Let the Right One In is a Swedish horror/

Another Tim Burton classic, Edward Scis-

salesman with no ambition in life beyond

romance film based off of a 2004 novel by

sorhands follows the life of the titular

playing video games and hanging out

John Ajvide Lindqvist. The movie follows

character, an artificial man whose place-

at the pub with his best friend, as he

a twelve-year-old boy who is frequently

holder scissor-hands are never removed

tries to win back his ex-girlfriend. Then

picked on and bullied at school. The boy

due to his creator dying before he could

zombies attack. Armed with a shovel and

eventually befriends and falls in love

attach the real hands. Edward is found

a cricket bat, Shaun and his pot-dealing

with a girl who moves into the apartment

in his old master’s mansion by an Avon

best friend battle through the zombie-in-

across the hall from him. As members of

saleswoman named Pegg, and is brought

fested streets in an attempt to save and

the town begin to disappear in a series of

back to the main village due to Pegg

win back Shaun’s girlfriend before taking

grisly murders, the boy begins to suspect

feeling sympathetic towards Edward’s

refuge in Shaun’s favourite pub. Succeed-

his new girlfriend isn’t quite the person

condition. Despite struggling to adjust

ing as both an excellent zombie movie as

he thinks she is. Let the Right One In re-

to village life and experiencing ridicule

well as a surprisingly effective comedy,

ceived universal acclaim upon its release

from its inhabitants, Edward eventually

Shaun of the Dead is a modern day zom-

and was named #15 on Empire’s “100 Best

falls in love with one of the women in

bie classic that shouldn’t be missed.

Films of World Cinema.” If you ever feel

the village. What follows is a sweet story

like watching a vampire romance done

of love in non-ideal circumstances, as

right (unlike a certain movie franchise

Edward has to deal with the villages in-

that shall remain unnamed), Let the Right

habitants repeatedly trying to rid Edward

One In is definitely worth watching.

from their town. Edward Scissorhands serves up a slice of sweet goth-inspired romance worthy of any date night.

The Fly:

Corpse Bride:

David Cronenberg’s sci-fi horror classic

Tim Burton’s hauntingly beautiful stop-

The Fly follows Seth Brundle, a brilliant

motion animated romantic horror musical

scientist working on inventing a teleporta-

film (try saying that three times fast)

tion device. While working on his project,

takes the classic love triangle story and

Brundle begins to fall in love with a

tweaks it by throwing in an undead

journalist who had been documenting and

corpse bride. Set in Victorian-era Europe,

reporting on his teleportation research.

Corpse Bride stars a young, shy, awk-

Their relationship becomes complicated,

ward man named Victor Van Dort (voiced

however, when Brundle accidentally com-

by Johnny Depp) who is forced into an

bines his DNA with a the DNA of a house-

arranged marriage by his parents for

fly that had entered the teleportation de-

financial reasons. Although he is initially

vice unbeknownst to Brundle. As the fly’s

weary at the thought of marrying some-

DNA begins to take over Brundle’s body,

one he doesn’t know, Victor changes

Brundle starts to transform into a highly

his mind immediately after meeting the

aggressive and increasingly disfigured fly/

lovely bride (voiced by Emily Watson).

human hybrid. The journalist, Veronica,

Unfortunately for Victor, he is dragged

has to search for a way to save Brundle

down to the underworld by an undead

before the fly’s DNA fully consumes her

woman, after he accidentally proposes

new boyfriend. The Fly combines hor-

to her while practicing his wedding vows

ror, sci-fi, and tragic romance elements

in a cemetery. The creative set pieces

into a cultural milestone of a movie that

and catchy songs make Corpse Bride an

deserves to be seen.

excellent horror/romance movie filled with quirky moments and lovable characters that are far more likeable than the movie’s gruesome title suggests.

CULTURE

THE RUNNER

FEB / 27 / 2013

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Margaret Atwood discusses Payback at Kwantlen

JESSICA LAR-SON

Margaret Atwood was recently at Kwantlen’s Richmond campus for the screening of the documentary Payback by the Kwantlen-based group Miss Representation. The film, based on Atwood’s book Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth, focuses on debt as a social construct and how it impacts our personal lives as well as the future of our beloved planet Earth. The documentary follows specific stories that represent issues in Atwood’s book. The issue of debtor/creditor is first embodied by two Albanian families engaged in a blood feud caused by a land dispute. One man’s family is now trapped on their own property because he shot the other man and therefore owes him a debt. Images of the malnourished children and the hollow, sunken faces of their parents make the viewer question why this is happening. These images of suffering are juxtaposed with an image of the man who was shot, still laughing and smiling about the incident, as he sits comfortably in his home, sporting a leather

jacket. Next, the audience sees the BP oil spill and how detrimental the damage is — not just to an isolated area of the spill, but to the entire world. Images of planes spraying the dispersant over the oil spills whiz across the screen, as an environmental worker’s voice explains how damaging a chemical dispersant will be for the ecosystem. A third story discusses the plight of tomato workers in Florida, who have suffered slave-like conditions at the hands of their employers. One employee speaks about how he enjoys his work, but not how people are treated. The documentary was able to shine a ray of hope over the audience with this story because at the time of filming, one of the larger tomato growing companies signed an agreement with the workers’ union in order to protect basic rights. These stories, and the short clips of Atwood speaking about and reading from her book, demonstrate how once such a serious debt is owed, it is almost impossible to pay it back. Furthermore, many such debts cannot be fixed with money. Atwood speculates at the end of the book and documentary that inflation is inevitable, if we continue on this

path. No matter how much money one has, if all the resources are gone there will be no amount of money great enough to bring them back. Though it may be a stretch, Atwood gives the possibility of another future, where we all donate to charities, care for one another, and sport hemp suits. During the town hall discussion, she admitted that this future is unlikely. Atwood was joined by a renowned ecologist from UBC, William Rees, who gave a stimulating lecture about the ecological impact of humans, as a species and as individuals. The event was also hosted by CBC’s Sheryl MacKay, who has an extensive background in journalism and current affairs. The stage was set up by Kwantlen’s design and horticulture departments, and at the end of the evening, the audience was invited to take home the plants strewn about the stage, increasing the sustainability of the evening. The entire event was dedicated to showing how it is only when we recognize what we owe, and not just what is owed to us, that we move forward towards a more altruistic and sustainable society.

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THE RUNNER

CULTURE

FEB / 27 / 2013

Local Music

Album Review

Loveless no more: My Bloody Valentine return with thrilling new album MBV

// Painting the town red

Husband and wife duo Danielle and Drew McTaggart won last year’s PEAK Performance Project

Dear Rouge aim to inject a dose of sugar into Vancouver’s folky bloodstream.

MAX HIRTZ

CULTURE EDITOR

Dear Rouge is a bit of an anomaly in Vancouver’s music scene, and songwriter Drew McTaggart, who formed the synthpop band last year with his wife Danielle, is the first to admit it. “In Vancouver, it sometimes feels like we’re not in the right place,” he told The Runner during a phone interview. It might seem strange hearing this from someone whose band just won the $102,700 top prize at the 2012 PEAK Performance Project, Vancouver’s biggest music competition, but McTaggart has his reasons for feeling this way — he’s observed that Vancouverites are more enthusiastic about indie-folk bands like Mumford & Sons and The Lumineers than they are about polished synthpop bands like his. “There’s a [Vancouver indie-folk artist] Dan Mangan shadow over the city right now. And it’s good. He’s an amazing musician, but it’s not our style,” McTaggart said. As far as flourishing local bands go, McTaggart prefers groups like Mother Mother, which he refers to as a “full-on rock band.” International bands that Dear Rouge look to for inspiration include Phoenix, M83,

Passion Pit and The Naked and the Famous — bands that could be classified as pop but are not what McTaggart would call “bubblegum pop.” Ever since M83 released their chart-topping album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming in 2011, synthpop has had a resurgence, and McTaggart is quick to admit that the album opened a lot of doors for bands like his. “I definitely think over the last two years, it has become a valued genre,” he said. Despite their interest in pop, it wasn’t until 2012 that the husband and wife duo decided to give it a shot. Drew is primarily a guitar player, and before forming Dear Rouge last year, he and Danielle didn’t have much experience with synthesizers or drum machines and were content to admire synthpop from a distance. “Danielle and I both kind of did singersongwriter stuff, but we loved creative and respected pop music,” McTaggart said. It wasn’t until they recorded their latest EP, Kids Wanna Know, that they began leaving their rock roots behind. Recording was a bit of a challenge at first because of McTaggart’s lack of experience with keyboards, but once they started removing guitars from the studio — a move inspired by Radiohead — the music came naturally.

McTaggart hopes that future recording sessions will go even smoother now that the duo can afford to spend more time in the studio. “We have a budget to work with, so we can make the music we want to make. We always feel like, ‘Oh, man, I wish we just had a full other week in the studio, but we can’t afford it.’ Now we have the money to do that, and to make the music that we’re proud of. That’s pretty huge,” he said. The money from the PEAK will help the band with recording, touring and promotion, but McTaggart said that the publicity that comes along with winning the competition is just as helpful. “If [we] send someone an email in Toronto, we can say, ‘Hey, we won the PEAK Performance Project in Vancouver.’ If they’re in the music industry, they may not know a lot about it, but they’ve heard the name,” he said. For now, the McTaggarts are taking things slow, carefully planning out their next steps and deciding what to do with the PEAK prize. “We definitely want to be smart with it. Our goal is to build up our band with that money so that we can be a band, have a good life through music, and have a career in music.”

ELIZABETH HANN ASSOCIATE COPY EDITOR

After almost twenty-two years, the hyperinfluential Irish indie-rock band My Bloody Valentine has returned to the scene with their new album, MBV. The new album is quite a feat – the equal of their previous album Loveless, sounding familiar enough to please fans of My Bloody Valentine’s previous work, and fresh enough to appeal to first-time listeners – but all the same, the songs on the album almost fade into insignificance before the backstory behind the album itself. There are at least two reasons for this. Firstly, My Bloody Valentine has one of the smallest canons of any contemporary band. MVB is not only their latest full-length album, it is only their third full-length album. Secondly, twenty-two years is an incredibly long gap between albums. When frontman Kevin Shields announced in 2007 that the band was reuniting, long-suffering fans could be forgiven for thinking it was a hoax or a joke. Of course, they could also be forgiven for wondering just what the long-awaited album might sound like – and whether or not My Bloody Valentine still had their magic. Well, the fans needn’t have worried. As mentioned above, the songs on MBV hold up well enough with anything on Loveless. Some of them – in particular “She Found Now”, the furious “Only Tomorrow”, and the entrancing “New You” – may even surpass some of the material on Loveless. MBV is an album that lends itself well to deep and dark thoughts. As such, I recommend it not just to fans of My Bloody Valentine, but to everyone who has occasion to think such thoughts – which ought to mean just about everybody.

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THE RUNNER

CULTURE

FEB / 27 / 2013

Local Music

Album Review

Loveless no more: My Bloody Valentine return with thrilling new album MBV

// Painting the town red

Husband and wife duo Danielle and Drew McTaggart won last year’s PEAK Performance Project

Dear Rouge aim to inject a dose of sugar into Vancouver’s folky bloodstream.

MAX HIRTZ

CULTURE EDITOR

McTaggart hopes that future recording sessions will go even smoother now that they can afford to spend more time in the studio. “We have a budget to work with, so we can make the music we want to make. We always feel like, ‘Oh, man, I wish we just had a full other week in the studio, but we can’t afford it.’ Now we have the money to do that, and to make the music that we’re proud of. That’s pretty huge,” he said. The money from the PEAK will help the band with recording, touring and promotion, but McTaggart said that the publicity that comes along with winning the competition is just as helpful. “If [we] send someone an email in Toronto, we can say, ‘Hey, we won the PEAK Performance Project in Vancouver.’ If they’re in the music industry, they may not know a lot about it, but they’ve heard the name,” he said. For now, the McTaggarts are taking things slow, carefully planning out their next steps and deciding what to do with the PEAK prize. “We definitely want to be smart with it. Our goal is to build up our band with that money so that we can be a band, have a good life through music, and have a career in music.”

ELIZABETH HANN ASSOCIATE COPY EDITOR

After almost 22 years, the hyper-influential Irish indie-rock band My Bloody Valentine has returned to the scene with their new album, MBV. The new album is quite a feat – the equal of their previous album Loveless, sounding familiar enough to please fans of My Bloody Valentine’s previous work, and fresh enough to appeal to first-time listeners – but all the same, the songs on the album almost fade into insignificance before the backstory behind the album itself. There are at least two reasons for this. Firstly, My Bloody Valentine has one of the smallest canons of any contemporary band. MVB is not only their latest full-length album, it is only their third full-length album. Secondly, 22 years is an incredibly long gap between albums. When frontman Kevin Shields announced in 2007 that the band was reuniting, long-suffering fans could be forgiven for thinking it was a hoax or a joke. Of course, they could also be forgiven for wondering just what the long-awaited album might sound like – and whether or not My Bloody Valentine still had their magic. Well, the fans needn’t have worried. As mentioned above, the songs on MBV hold up well enough with anything on Loveless. Some of them – in particular “She Found Now”, the furious “Only Tomorrow”, and the entrancing “New You” – may even surpass some of the material on Loveless. MBV is an album that lends itself well to deep and dark thoughts. As such, I recommend it not just to fans of My Bloody Valentine, but to everyone who has occasion to think such thoughts – which ought to mean just about everybody.

PROCRASTINATION

THE RUNNER

FEB / 27 / 2013

W : RUNNERMAG.CA

Horoscope

Sagittarius Nov 23 - Dec 21

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 20

Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19

Pisces Feb 20 - Mar 20

There are a few numbers floating around in your head and one of them isn’t a number at all but a letter.

“Give a man a fish and he will cry all night long like a little baby because he wanted cabbage rolls.” - Abraham Lincoln

I’d say it’s going to be a pretty good month for you, but what the heck do I know. Take that for what it’s worth.

Aries Mar 21 - Apr 19

Taurus Apr 20 - May 20

Gemini May 21 - Jun 20

Instead of walking, try crawling like a crab everywhere you go. It’s a great cardio exercise that, unlike walking, doesn’t make you look weird or creepy at all.

How much does your job pay you? Enough? More than enough? Good. We’re all very happy for you up here in the spirit world.

Try to break out of your comfort zone this month. Lock yourself in a cabinet with a cobra. Tell someone you love that you don’t want to see them anymore. Get arrested at a pool.

You’ve had your eye on someone special for a few months now. It’s time to get your ass out of bed, go to Future Shop, buy him or her a gift card, and throw it at his or her face awkwardly.

Virgo Aug 24 - Sept 23

Libra Sept 24 - Oct 23

Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 22

Stay home on March 1. Lock your doors and board up your windows. Don’t let anyone in unless their name is Jessica.

Toasters are your friend this month. And every month after this month. Even after you die, toasters will be your friend.

Passion. Geography. Felt pens. Keep these three things on your mind at all times and you will live a rich life.

Leo Jul 24 - Aug 23

“The sky is blue. This does not mean that the forest is green, for the forest is home to many critters, many of them rabbits.” - Anonymous

Try to stay away from baked goods this month. They’re not good for you. They’re not good for NOBODY.

Cancer Jun 21 - Jul 23

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THE RUNNER

FEB / 27 / 2013

Student Politics

EDITORIAL KSA Election Which candidates deserve your vote Since almost all of the KSA election races aren’t contested, you’ll be asked to vote yes or no in most cases. Based on our interviews with them, The Runner has divided the candidates into three groups: those who deserve yes votes, those who deserve no votes and those who don’t really deserve your vote, but are better than no one at all. The only contested race is between Ming Li and Jasmine Kaur Sudhan for international students representative. Our vote goes to Sudhan, who, although green, has demonstrated a passion for international issues. Li, however, has been completely silent and invisible during her first term on council.

No-contest elections don’t bode well for student association’s future Kwantlen, you’ve got a problem. Or rather, you could have one.

THE RUNNER EDITORIAL

In the recent elections for the Kwantlen Student Association (KSA), only the position of international student representative was contested. With no competition, everyone who ran will likely win their seat despite their qualifications (or lack thereof), positions on key issues, or even level of interest in what the KSA does. Also uncontested was the senate election, with only four people applying for four seats. Those new senators will automatically have voting rights on the KSA board when they take office in September, if they choose to. If you’re not sure what the KSA does, you’re not alone. Neither do some of its new additions. To put it briefly, they are responsible for student life on campus. They provide services, host events, and hold an awful lot of meetings to make sure your time spent outside the classroom is positive. And they do it all with a multi-million dollar budget, made up almost entirely from fees that come from the pockets of students. To reiterate: these people, who may or

may have been arbitrarily voted in, now have a monopoly on campus activities and the student activity budget. If that doesn’t raise alarms for students, perhaps a reminder of the corruption of previous councils might. Unchecked, previous councils mismanaged millions of dollars from student fees. Not the least of these self-serving use of student money was the 2011 Cram Jam, which had a staggering cost of $125,692.79 and is nearly universally regarded as a colossal waste of money. Of course, not every council member is out to steal from students. Some are just looking to pad their CVs or make future business connections. For them, the KSA is a means to an end, and the end has nothing to do with students or the school. Is it worse to have multiple seats vacant because nobody ran for them, or to have those seats filled by students who aren’t even sure what the acronym KSA stands for, let alone what’s expected of them? Unfortunately, students can’t make the right choices if they have none to begin with. Ultimately, the shortcomings of the council fall on the students. The Runner is committed to keeping an eye on the elected officials of the KSA and holding them ac-

countable for their actions, but reporting on their screw-ups doesn’t guarantee they won’t happen. It is up to students to become more involved. Apply to sit on committees, join clubs, and educate yourself on the politics of Kwantlen so when the next election rolls around, the student body has a choice of credible and competent candidates.

Vote in the KSA election and referendum. Each voter must show a valid Student ID to receive a ballot. Wednesday, February 27 & Thursday, February 28, 2013, 9 AM – 5 PM Cloverdale – Across from the Cafeteria Langley – Bookstore Hallway Richmond – Rotunda Surrey – Main Atrium Corridor

Candidates who deserve yes votes: Luk, Hosein, and Bige have been strong advocates for social justice. Campbell brings a strong measure of institutional memory to the table. Mckee and Kheslat both have strong ideas about representing student voices. Kwong needs direction, but we think she will come into her own. Morgan Mckee (Business faculty) Jennifer Campbell (Langley campus) Chanel Kwong (Academic & career faculty) Ahmad Kheslat (Mature students) Lydia Luk (Queer students) Richard Hosein (Students of colour) Melinda Bige (Aboriginal students) Candidates who deserve no votes: Raja has polarized the current council and was disciplined for his misconduct. He is not a worthy choice in our opinion. Xu has been absent for most of his current term and has brought nothing to the table. Yasir Raja (Business faculty) Jun Tao (Davis) Xu (Richmond campus) Candidates who don’t really deserve your vote, but are better than no one at all: These six are a combination of newbies who lack the experience to make effective change and incumbents who have made little difference during their first terms. That said, someone is better than no one in these cases. Kirpanpreet Dhillon (Surrey campus) Andrew Yergatian (Science/horticulture faculty) Samantha Klassen (Arts faculty) Fatima Zaidi (Arts faculty) Gaurav Kumar (Business faculty) Michelle Brewer (Arts faculty) Kayla England (Arts faculty rep)

EDITORIAL

THE RUNNER

FEB / 27 / 2013

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The Runner’s handy referendum voting guide Kwantlen students cast their votes on three referendum questions on Feb. 27 and 28, 2013. Here is our editorial take on the issues and how we think you should vote.

Vote Yes or No

MultiPass: Renewing the U-Pass program for $45 monthly in the first year

The U-Pass is a polarizing issue and so our verdict is divided. If you are a Langley or Surrey student who rarely uses transit, then you should vote no. However, for all of you who depend on buses to get around, then you should absolutely vote yes. If you’re on the fence, think about the available subsidized $5 Steve Nash passes, the intercampus shuttle and the other new services being developed by the hardworking KSA MultiPass team.

Creating a PIRG for $0.80 per credit (with the ability to opt out)

Student-led Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) exist on campuses across North America and act as research facilities, community resource centres and advocacy groups. A Kwantlenbased PIRG would allow students the venue to get active in their communities and create real social change. A PIRG could be an amazing force on campus, and since anyone can can opt-out. There’s no reason not to vote yes.

Increasing The Runner fee to $0.89 per credit (with the ability to opt out)

If you’re reading this, you probably know that The Runner is the source for all your Kwantlen news. We’re student owned and student staffed – anyone can write for us, which includes you! We help keep a watch on the KSA and the university, and call them out when they’re not looking out for your best interests. Our investigative work helped impeach a corrupt KSA government. Obviously we’re biased, but vote yes!

Vote Yes