Saskatoon Express. April 2, 2018

SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 1

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a little more influence over the direction of policing in Saskatchewan and Western Canada. Saskatoon is a big player as far as setting the standard for policing. It has a lot of influence. That’s why I came here.”

Cooper sees changing the policing model as a priority; standalone police services are probably not sustainable in the long run, he said. Services must consider partnering, sharing data, attacking root causes and even examining the boundaries of policing, evaluating whether they are still relevant.

“There’s different models out there in the world and I think we’ll find whatever the right fit is for Saskatoon, but it won’t be what it is now, 10 years from now.”

Change is already occurring. Integrated units with the RCMP don’t have the same boundaries as the local police services; they have regions, as do health and school divisions. Combined regional traffic safety approaches are also being used today.

“Another model is sharing data with our service delivery partners; we call it the hub here in Saskatoon. It is a community safety model, where the police contribute information and other social service providers contribute information. We have a collaboration around reducing risks . . . It’s a preventative model, and that may be part of the future as well.”

Saskatoon Police Chief Troy Cooper became an officer at age 21 and hasn’t looked back. (Photo by Joanne Paulson)

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envisions the force of the future His vision has come through experience.

Cooper grew up in Big River, where he became an officer at just 21, and early on joined an integrated unit with the RCMP working on drug enforcement and major crime support.

“I got the exposure, I guess, to that broader policing picture then,” he said. “I did four years in that unit. It was interesting, it was exciting as a young man because I worked undercover and I got to work in other centres with a different police service for a while.”

From there, he went into management positions, worked in major crime and intel-

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Troy Cooper Joanne Paulson Saskatoon Express decade from now, predicts Saskatoon’s new chief of police, policing will look very different.

Troy Cooper took the reins from Clive Weighill a month ago. You might expect Saskatoon’s top officer to talk about catching the bad guys, and he certainly does; but the first things he wants to discuss are community wellness, service integration, and how law enforcement will undergo drastic changes in the next 10 years.

All of that leads to better crime prevention.

ALL DAY EVERY DAY SPECIAL

ligence, and supervised detective divisions.

He moved up to inspector, deputy chief, and then chief of the Prince Albert police.

“My focus started to shift more to policy development, strategic planning and budgeting,” said Cooper. “I was the deputy chief under Dale McFee for seven years; he’s our deputy minister of corrections now.

While I was working under Dale, we started to look at changing policing models. I had some experience and interest in that. Then I was the chief for six years there before coming here.

“For me, one of the biggest reasons I moved to the Saskatoon service was to have

Big challenges The policing context for Cooper is collaboration and prevention, and that goes for all the major challenges facing the Saskatoon Police Service. The biggest concern, operationally, is drugs, he said.

One of the earliest shocks since he took over was a number of local deaths caused by fentanyl mixed with cocaine. Fentanyl comes in from both coasts and across the border.

“It’s inexpensive, and it’s addictive, and sometimes it gets mixed in with other drugs,” said Cooper. “Sometimes people are aware it’s there and sometimes they’re not.

“We don’t know for sure in Saskatoon whether those people were intentionally using fentanyl, or accidentally. But whatever the case is, when there’s fentanyl around or other addictive opioids, people die.”

British Columbia is in a fentanyl crisis, and last year in Alberta, 462 people died from fentanyl overdoses just between January and April.

(Continued on page 11 )

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The Saskatoon Stars had reason to celebrate last Tuesday when they won its third Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League championship in the last four years. (Photo by Darren Steinke)

Golf rule changes won’t affect me

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olf will have some Callaway’s Strata Jet balls. new rules for the 2019 I used Jets on the old Pansy season.

Nine at the Saskatoon Golf I have never played by golf’s and Country Club. Why they rules so these are irrelevant took out the course and put to me. in the Western Development Under the new rules, for Museum, I will never know. example, there has been a The Pansy Nine should have change to the procedure when been declared a heritage site. a player has to take a drop.

Another rule change is the The golfer will now make measurement when taking the drop from knee height, as a relief. When I need relief, Editor opposed to any height. It will it usually means a trip to a provide consistency, is the Porta Potty. Anyway, under theory. golf’s new rule, the relief area will be My idea of a drop is placing the measured using the longest club in the ball in a good spot, usually slightly player’s bag. I would put a club with an elevated so I have a better chance to get extension built in, so two club lengths it airborne. Sometimes when I am in the would get me back onto the middle of rough, I get incredible lies. It’s like the the fairway. ball landed on a tee or something. My Also, the one-stroke penalty for acplaying partners can’t believe my good cidentally striking the ball more than fortune. once in the course of a stroke has been As an aside, I was asked a couple of removed. I remember double hitting the weeks ago while watching Tiger Woods ball once and took one stroke off my in the Arnold Palmer tourney what type card for doing something that cool. I did of ball I play. I initially thought he it coming out of a sand trap. I have also meant football, baseball or curlingball. gotten out of traps using one stroke and Then I realized — duh — he was talking one throw. That one is pretty common about golf balls. among public course hackers.

My dad had a friend who used to For lost balls or those hit out of fish balls out of the water at courses, bounds, golfers will be given the option so I used hand-me-downs of all brands. to drop the ball in the vicinity of where Some of them were so expensive I the ball was lost or where it went out would never use them on a water hole. of bounds. There will be a two-stroke Had I, I would have put on a wet suit to penalty, something I have never taken in retrieve them. I wouldn’t take a penalty a similar circumstance. I believe a golfer though. should be able to move out-of-bounds Before using gently-used balls bemarkers at least once per nine holes. I’m longing to a previous owner, I used Jets. thinking no more than 50 yards.

I particularly liked the slices I put in The reason for this change is to pick them. up the pace of play. On a Saturday at These shouldn’t be confused with Wildwood, is there a need for a player to

CAM HUTCHINSON

go back to the tee for a redo? I think not.

This will come as no surprise, but Donald Trump is notorious for cheating at golf, as well as everything else in life.

I’m guessing his playing partners often have to sign confidentiality agreements and likely receive hush money.

Samuel L. Jackson has played golf with Trump. When United Airlines Rhapsody Magazine asked him who the better golfer was, Jackson said: “Oh, I am for sure. I don’t cheat.”

Trump wasn’t happy when Jackson exposed him, although I am not sure that is the best choice of words: “I don’t know @SamuelLJackson, to best of my knowledge haven’t played golf w/him & think he does too many TV commercials — boring. Not a fan,” Trump tweeted.

Jackson posted a photo of the two together and then tweeted: “Hey @realDonaldTrump I know all black people look alike but apparently you DO know @SamuelLJackson.”

Trump has been known to take gimme chip shots. Huh? He rakes putts into the hole. One time during a rain delay it is said that his ball miraculously went from the rough to the middle of the green, leaving him with a 10-footer which he could rake into the cup.

It is great to see the rules of golf change every few hundred years, not that they will affect my game. My game has never been the same since the Pansy Nine was bulldozed. Did we really need a museum? ***** How can we expect this city council to make a decision on a $350-million downtown project if it can’t figure out a fire pit bylaw? My gawd. This is really embarrassing.

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SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 3

Bruce Hamilton, who grew up in Saskatoon, is the owner, president and general manager of the Kelowna Rockets.

Bruce Hamilton:

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Credits success to lessons learned in Saskatoon

ruce Hamilton readily with David Poile with the admits the lessons he Washington Capitals. learned from influential Hamilton served with hockey mentors in Saskatoon the Saskatoon Fire Departhave contributed largely to ment from 1985 to 1991, but his success today as one of clearly, hockey loomed in his the Western Hockey League’s future. foremost executives.

“While I was scouting, I Hamilton is the owner, presheard the talk of a Tacoma ident and general manager of expansion franchise,” said the Kelowna Rockets, which Hamilton, “so I pulled towon the Memorial Cup in 2004 gether some investors, includand have played in four other ing ones from Saskatoon, and People national junior championships. we made a bid. Tacoma was They have a record of undenia challenging market because able dominance: the Rockets have missed it had a building with 20,000 seats. We the playoffs and finished with a record thought we were going there forever. below .500 in only one season since their But after two years, the outlook wasn’t arrival in Kelowna. getting any better. We looked at Boise, As a WHL governor, Hamilton has Idaho, and then the pieces fell together twice been chair of the board, once from to go to Kelowna.

1998 to 2004 and from 2008 to the pres“At first we played in their Memoent day. rial Arena. A developer, Graham Lee, Hamilton grew up in Saskatoon, atcame in and built a 6,000-seat building, tending Buena Vista elementary school with lots of space for suites. We have and Nutana Collegiate. He played minor a 30-year lease. The response has been hockey in the area before joining the Sas- terrific, with something like more than katoon Olympics for one season and then 300 sellouts. playing with the Saskatoon Blades from “My theory is that 6,000 seats reprethe fall of 1974 until the spring of 1977. sent a good business plan. We’ve had a In 1982, he became the Blades’ direc- Memorial Cup final and succeeded. You tor of player personnel and two years not only have an excellent hockey tourlater was named an assistant coach and nament, you learn to build the event into head of scouting. He later scouted for a festival. Red Deer had one and now two National Hockey League teams — Regina is about to have one. Those are three years in the Emile Francis days rinks with the same capacity as ours. with the Hartford Whalers and six years “I knew I was comfortable at the

NED POWERS

TA040204 Tammy

hockey end of a franchise. The business end, I had to learn. We found a way to build a strong market. My philosophy was that you never ask anybody to do what you wouldn’t do yourself. I surrounded myself with good people. And we showed that you have to enjoy what you’re doing.”

The lessons he learned in Saskatoon were invaluable, especially through his connections with Jack McLeod, Daryl Lubiniecki, Ed Chynoweth and Lorne Frey.

“I played three seasons for Jackie with the Blades. He was a great coach.

I had the opportunity to play one season on a line with Bernie Federko and Blair Chapman and that was a wonderful year. As great a coach as Jackie was, I think he would have adapted so easily to the way hockey is played today and he would be an even greater coach.”

His first involvement with Lubiniecki was with the Olympics.

“When the Brodsky family bought the Blades, Lubie became their main man.

He gave me opportunities to help build the Blades. Nate Brodsky just loved hockey and so did his family. “ Chynoweth and Frey became the big-time contributors to Hamilton’s dream of operating a team in the WHL. Chynoweth, a Saskatchewan boy through and through and once on the Blades management team, was one of the most powerful men in junior hockey, serving as president of the WHL from 1972 to 1995 and president of the Cana-

dian league from 1975 until 1995.

“Ed was a very dear friend, he was my mentor in this business and I consider him the reason why we first received the franchise in Tacoma. And he was very influential in helping us persuade the league partners to move the team to Kelowna. Ed was a believer and he believed it could work in Kelowna,” said Hamilton.

Frey also came from a Saskatchewan background in Saskatoon, Estevan and Swift Current. He was assistant general manager of the Broncos when the team lost four of its players in a tragic bus crash on Dec. 30, 1986. One of the players was Frey’s nephew, Scott Kruger.

“I hired Lorne before we had control of the expansion franchise. He’s as close to me as anybody is. We don’t make decisions without both of us being involved. At the end of the day, my say is the last one. But by then, we’re in general agreement. We’ve been doing that for 20-some years,” said Hamilton.

Former Rockets in the NHL include Shea Weber, Josh Gorges, Duncan Keith, Jamie Benn, Scott Parker, Scott Hannan, Tyson Barrie, Luke Schenn, Tyler Myers and Blake Comeau. Three of them, Weber, Keith and Gorges, were discovered by Frey after all WHL teams passed on them in the bantam draft. The only time Kelowna missed the playoffs was in 2006-2007 when NHL teams promoted two defenceman instead of letting them return to juniors.

Hamilton also took his brother, Gavin, to Tacoma as vice-president of business.

There Gavin met his future wife, AnneMarie, and she is still with the club as director of marketing.

The family roots run deep. Bruce’s father, Gavin, was a veterinarian in Saskatoon and his mother, Jean, also stood up as a strong community player.

Hamilton and his wife, Linda, have two children — daughter Jill, who is working for Hockey Canada in Vancouver as an event manager for the 2018-19 world junior championships, and son Curtis, who played two years in the Edmonton Oiler system and is now playing in Finland.

One of the Rockets’ strongest connections for 18 years has been Saskatoon’s Bob Fawcett, a firefighter-turned-scout, and he has continued to build a Saskatchewan presence in the lineup.

With his involvement with Hockey Canada, Hamilton has brought international teams and games into Kelowna.

He’s now playing a bigger role on the international scene. The Rockets have donated generously to charity events, notably to Kelowna General Hospital and the Canucks’ Autism Network. Among the awards for Hamilton have been business leader of the year in Kelowna in 2010 and induction into the British Columbia Hockey Hall of Fame in the same year.

“I‘m always in touch with the players.

We don’t allow long hair and earrings. I want the players to be safe, go to school and play hockey to the best of their ability,” he said.

“I want them to have high expectations, both on and off the ice. We encourage the great educational scholarships we have in this league. I want them to learn to be productive as they go out into the world and appreciate the enjoyment of being successful.”

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SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 4

Corner Gas returns as animated series Kathy Fitzpatrick for the Saskatoon Express he Ruby Café and Corner Gas station are gone, but that hasn’t stopped a reboot of the hit comedy TV series.

Corner Gas Animated made its debut on The Comedy Network on Easter Monday.

Try as he might, show creator Brent Butt can’t seem to make the split from his runaway success stick. He brought the original series to an end in 2009, explaining that he wanted to exit gracefully while he and his team were at the top of their game.

Then came Corner Gas: The Movie in 2014.

The success of the movie led to the creation of the animated series, Butt explained in an interview. Sold-out theatres and an extra weekend of screenings convinced network executives that the public still had an appetite for the show. They asked for more episodes.

Butt and his partners weren’t interested in simply doing more of the same, but at the same time, “if you’re in show business, you like a gig.”

His love of animation, graphic arts and cartoons made an animated series the natural choice. It gives the audience everything they love about the show — the same goofy but lovable characters, the same wacky humour about the small things in life — but with an added element.

One of the writers on Corner Gas, Norm Hiscock, was also a writer for the American animated sitcom King of the Hill. Butt recalls Hiscock telling him, “this is the perfect show to animate, just write new scripts.”

The switch reminds Butt of what it was like to work on the first season of the original show. He had never done a TV series before, and had to learn as he went along.

“I recommend to anybody just diving in and doing something you really don’t know how to do.”

Now he’s had to learn “the machination and the pipeline of creating an animated show versus live action,” such as the right time to step in and make changes.

One member of the original team is sadly missing. Janet Wright, who played Brent Leroy’s mother Emma, died in 2016. Wright also co-founded Saskatoon’s Persephone Theatre.

“I think sheCarol would really get a kick out CT040201

T

Brent Butt’s love of animation, graphic arts and cartoons made an animated series the natural choice.

(Photo by Robert de Lint.

Courtesy of CORNER GAS ANIMATED/ The Comedy Network)

Writing scripts for an animated series was a new challenge for Brent Butt.

(Courtesy of CORNER GAS ANIMATED/The Comedy Network) of (Corner Gas Animated),” Butt says. “I mean she was really looking forward to this when we first discussed it with her.”

By then hampered by limited mobility, she probably would not have been up to shooting more live action episodes; but she liked the idea of voicing a cartoon and seeing everyone once a week.

Wright passed away when the project’s development was quite far along.

Her husband told Butt she would want Emma’s character to remain. He even suggested someone to play the part, her close friend Corrine Koslo.

Koslo has a similar timbre to Wright’s voice. She nailed her audition, Butt says.

“She knew Janet so well that it was

really kind of a bit of a salve on the wound.”

Imagining Wright watching from beyond, Butt says “she’d be giving us a hard time like she always did,” in her characteristic loving way.

Animation offers other creative opportunities. An elaborate Mad Max road warrior fantasy scene would be “essentially impossible” in live action due to the cost.

Similarly, the cartoon version enables bits of physical comedy (think of Davis kissing a badger right on the muzzle) that health and safety laws would otherwise rule out.

Any cameo Butt and partners can dream up are do-able — cartoon incarna-

tions of Elvis, Shakespeare and David Bowie appear in the first episode. Even cameos by living personalities are easier to arrange — they can pop into a studio wherever they are and record their part.

Corner Gas: The Movie ended with Brent and Lacey becoming a couple.

However, Butt says they won’t be an item in the animated series.

“It felt like it would change the dynamic and it wouldn’t be right.”

Production of the 13-episode first season is almost complete. Butt says a second season depends on “whether the response from the people warrants doing it again . . . this could live as long as demand is there very easily.”

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SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 5

How will we deal with traffic at downtown arena?

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ast week, I attended caught the beginning of the the Michelle Obama event, which was delayed befireside chat at SaskTel cause, duh, half the seats were Centre. Just barely. still empty at 7 o’clock.

Viewing the long lineup Now, I gather that traffic heading for the overpass for other events is not quite leading to North Battleford, so nasty. I have it on decent and seeing how hard it would authority that the in-and-out be to get into said line anyfor Rush games, for example, way, I opted instead for the is far less annoying. What Marquis Drive turnoff. Bad happened on Obama night? idea. Very bad idea.

It’s not clear to me.

Columnist We crawled along, one You may also argue I car length at a time per light should have left earlier and/or change, for what seemed like forever. hopped a bus, and point taken; but it was Then we saw the sign, up ahead, declar- a busy work day and I did my best. ing that Marquis was still three-quarters And I was obviously far from alone. I of a kilometre away. wonder how many people missed at least Cars lined up behind us, sped by us half of the Obama chat, or finally gave on the outside lane (possibly the shoul- up and just went home. The lineup I left der, I couldn’t tell) and of course merged was still creeping along when I did my in front of us. More cars were trying to nifty manoeuvre and made it over the come up Marquis from the east. overpass.

More than half an hour later, at 7 Which brings me to the proposed new p.m., which was the event start time, I downtown arena. Let me say first of all was still by my estimation more than that I fundamentally support a downtown half an hour out from just getting parked, arena, and always did. My heart sinks much less in my seat. We had moved every time I have to head out to SaskTel maybe a third of a kilometre. I was also Centre, especially for a limited-time getting a little claustrophobic. I’m not event like a concert. Thirty years on, I big on lineups. still wonder how in heck we made the I gave up. It took a while, but I was decision to build it there. finally able to get out of my lane. I However, this traffic nightmare, from switched out, turned onto the service which I have still not recovered (beroad, and went back to the overpass. By ing a delicate soul about such things), now, that lineup was reasonably short. brings certain terrifying points to mind I parked, we dashed inside, and just about stuffing downtown with another

Joanne Paulson

A

big building that could attract up to 15,000 people on any given night. And that doesn’t include the crowds for TCU Place events.

What it also does not include are events at O’Brians Event Centre. Movies at the Galaxy. Folks trying to go out for dinner, or even late shopping.

I’m sure the consultants who have taken a peek at the necessity of moving our arena downtown have thought about traffic and parking. I hope so. Just the same, I really need to add my concerns.

There are some unique aspects to getting into our downtown, as compared to other, larger cities. It’s not a very big place. There are residential areas surrounding it, not to mention a river flowing around it. How many people will be parking in those nearby areas, and walking downtown for events? If we’re talking Nutana and Riversdale, I’d guess a great many.

How many people will take buses, as some do now to the existing arena, from gathering points at malls, for example?

Not enough, is my guess.

Will we have underground parking?

Possibly, and all I can say is, ugh. Kill me dead. I was recently in an underground spot while attending a Bonnie Raitt concert in Calgary, in the Jubilee Auditorium. It holds somewhat more than TCU Place, but far fewer folks than SaskTel Centre. It was still a halfhour pain in the neck getting out of there.

How does all of this fit together with the proposed bus rapid transit system?

What if there’s a train? How did we get to this point where we have trains clogging up the city whenever the rail companies feel like it? Those rail lines have got to go, and I personally don’t care what it takes, except the railways had better pay.

What if there’s an emergency? Perfect storm scenario: maybe a serious weather event, flooded streets, train going by, 15,000 or more people trying to get out of downtown, someone or someones get hurt. How do you get the emergency vehicles in?

Sorry for being so negative, but these issues absolutely must be addressed with great care and forethought before we make any $300ish-million moves. Because it is not going to be $300 million, I guarantee it. We, as a city, must get this right. It’s a huge economic expense, that will come with a huge economic impact (good and bad), and it’s just about as important as any civic decision, ever.

We blew it the last time. Let’s not do that again.

AS040202 Aaron

Visit us!

HOCKEY A travelling exhibition developed by the Canadian Museum of History

Meerkat exhibit opens at zoo

meerkat family has settled into the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo and is ready for visitors.

“The new exhibit is quite amazing,” said Tim Sinclair-Smith, zoo manager.

“It features a naturalistic habitat with desert sand dunes, termite mound replicas, nest boxes, and specially-made tunnel systems. We are also working on setting up nest box cameras that will provide an up-close look at the meerkat tunnels throughout the exhibit.”

TA040205 Tammy

Transforming the former Komodo Island exhibit to the new Meerkat House was made possible through the Saskatoon Zoo Foundation.

“The Saskatoon Zoo Foundation is very excited to play a role in bringing the meerkats to the zoo,” said Dawn Woroniuk, executive director of the foundation. “We embraced the opportunity to provide the funding to flip the exhibit space in order to bring a species that most of us never imagined coming to the zoo.”

The new Meerkat House also features original artwork created by students from Georges Vanier Catholic Fine Arts School. The school has been working with the zoo to create cut-out displays highlighting various animals, with the latest installation featuring the meerkats.

The zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until the end of April, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. starting in May. For more information, visit saskatoon.ca/zoo.

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Free Admission l Learn more www.usask.ca/diefenbaker

TA040202 Tammy

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Because of Gracia Saskatoon director’s film to screen at the Roxy

Cam Hutchinson Saskatoon Express rett Simes earned his role in the movie Because of Gracia the oldfashioned way. He was the best actor for the job.

The fact his father, Tom, wrote and directed the film didn’t enter into it. In the rough cut made in Saskatoon, the 27-yearold actor was listed as Brett Thomas in the credits.

“When we got down to Nashville and were auditioning people for different roles, the producers from Louisiana stated they wanted the guy who played OB (in the rough cut) in the show. They thought he was that strong and I said, ‘Great, I will let him know,’” Tom Simes said last week.

He called his son.

“When my dad asked me to do the movie I was a little hesitant because it is a Hollywood-produced film and I have never done anything like that.”

They didn’t keep the secret of their relationship for long.

“When I got down to Louisiana and we were shooting, I think it was the second or third day, they heard him call me Dad,” Tom Simes said. “They thought it was a strange Canadian thing where the actors call you dad.

“I had to explain to them that Brett was my oldest son. They actually chose him, not because he was related to me, but because he had the acting chops.”

Brett did a great job, he said.

“It was really gratifying. I didn’t know how he would handle the pressure of being on set with 50 cast and crew around him all the time. We were almost the lone Canadians down there and I didn’t know if he could handle that and I really appreciated his professionalism and how he adapted to the moment.

“I was really pleasantly surprised at this confidence level. He brought so much game that he actually enhanced the performances of the people around him.”

The movie was a family affair, with Tom’s daughter Bree acting in classroom scenes. His two other children — Brooklyn and Brolin — as well as his wife Michelle’s parents, Glenn and Lucille Lowes — were in a wedding scene.

Brett Simes has done plenty of stage work and shot a commercial with his father “back in the day,” but this was stepping into the big leagues.

“When I got down there I had no idea what it was going to be like. I remember

B

TA040203 Tammy

Googling Hollywood sets to see how it would go down. I wanted to be very professional on set, not rub anybody the wrong way.

“It was wild. It was such a crazy experience to be on set with people who have been in that industry their whole lives.

Everyone was so professional; everyone was so nice. It went super well.”

The film was shot, with a $1-million budget, in 2015 in Louisiana. It opened last September in 32 theatres in the United States. Now it’s being shown in the Simes’ hometown. It will run from April 19 to April 22 at the Roxy Theatre.

Brett Simes is happy it is going to be shown here. He could have added “finally.”

“I think I am actually more relieved that it’s out. I know the process my parents have been on to get it out and to bring it here has been quite a journey.

“Honestly, I have so much support here.

I have so many friends that are going to come and see it . . . I can stop posting about it and talking about it.”

He said people are going to enjoy the film.

“I think it is relatable for people from the age of 14 to the age of 80. I don’t think it matters what point in life you are, no matter what you are going through, I think there is a character they can point to and go ‘oh, I related to that person, they’re going through something I went through and it’s going to turn out for me.’”

Tom Simes said people will “be surprised at the quality of a film made by a Saskatoon producer. It’s a unique teen drama with comedic moments.”

It is a faith-based film. He said there are pitfalls that have to be avoided in making films of that genre.

“One of the dangers that faith-based films have is they start with a theme or a message they want to tell an audience and they somehow try to figure out a story around it. What I did was I just wrote a story. And the story found an audience,” he said in an interview last year.

The focus of the story is a high school student named Gracia Davis (Moriah Peters). She is a Christian and finds others at her high school that share her beliefs, but have been afraid to share them. One of those is the male lead, Chris Massoglia, who plays Chase Morgan. Morgan is a shy guy who opens up to Gracia.

Morgan’s sidekick is OB, played by Simes. He provides a good dose of comedic moments.

Brett Simes (foreground) and Chris Massoglia (back) star in Because of Gracia.

Massoglia will be in Saskatoon for each of the show’s screenings.

(Photo Supplied) The movie touches on a number of issues. There is a healthy debate about evolution versus creation. There is the struggle teens have with sexuality.

The daughter of an overbearing father — played by Saskatoon actor Rachael Hayward — has to decide whether to do it or not when pressured by her somewhat slimy boyfriend.

“I know it’s a religious movie obviously, right?” Brett Simes said. “But it’s not just a religious movie, it’s a life movie.

It deals with not just religion but life as a whole — the things people go through on a daily basis. That is why I think there is something for everybody in this movie.”

He can relate to the movie on a personal level.

“Growing up and going through high school I was a Christian kid. I played sports and I did some acting, so I was lucky I could float between different groups of people. Everyone knew I was a Christian and everyone knew I believed in God. “High school kids are ruthless. I was lucky the group of kids I was in — the jocks, the preppie people — I was never bullied once in high school even though everybody knew I was a Christian. I know people who have had their beliefs attacked. It’s just really unfortunate.”

Simes describes his character as a good old boy. He is the class clown in an endearing way.

(Continued on page 7)

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SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 7

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Brett Simes provided many of the comedic moments in Because of Gracia.

(Supplied Photo)

“I

(Continued from page 6) have always tried to make OB a relatable person. He’s not crazy; he’s not over the top. Everybody knows OB; everybody loves OB because he’s there, he’s funny. He’s not going to make you feel bad for the things you say.

“I joke with my friends that I didn’t have to act. I got to go on camera and be myself for a month and a half. It’s true.

I really think OB and I share a lot of the same personality traits and stuff. Just being funny; humour disarms the hardest person.

“That is the way I approach everything.

If you can make somebody laugh, they are putty in your hands for sure.”

He said he has watched the movie 100 times or more. He first saw it years ago as a play. Back then, it was named G Factor.

“There was a guy named Dion Walker

who played my role in the play and I remember watching him and going, ‘Man if I ever get a chance to play OB, I’m going to play him like this guy because he was so good.’”

He hopes Walker will see the film.

“I really hope he shows up. I totally dedicated the way I played this to his character. I remember sitting in the theatre and watching him and laughing so hard because he was so funny, so over the top.

I swore right then and there that if I ever got to play OB I would play him like Dion Walker did.”

Because of Gracia will be shown April 19 at 7:30 at the Roxy, April 20 at 6:45 and 9:15 p.m., and April 21 and April 22 at 6:45 p.m. Chris Massoglia will be in Saskatoon for the screenings and will speak to high school students as well.

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Campaign received a $600,000 “We want those kids to have a dedicatdonation last week from Scoed space where they can feel like the hontiabank. oured guests that they are,” Soonias said in “Scotiabank is thrilled to support the release. “It will also allow for teachers Wanuskewin in offering facilities where to more appropriately engage with their young people can thrive and learn,” classrooms before getting outside or into James O’Sullivan, group head of Canathe future interpretive galleries.” dian Banking, Scotiabank, said in a news Thundering Ahead was launched a year release. ago with an aim to renew Wanuskewin “We aim to support organizations that Heritage Park, a National Historic Site and are committed to helping young people contender for UNESCO World Heritage reach their infinite potential. Young Designation. The park has set out to raise people are our future leaders and Sco$40 million to renovate and expand the tiabank’s goal is to help ensure that they interpretive centre, introduce exhibit galhave the necessary skills and resources leries and a more robust visitor experience, they need to support their success.” expand the land base, protect the heritage Wanuskewin chief executive officer and environmental resources of Opimihaw Dana Soonias agreed, saying nearly a Valley and reintroduce a small herd of quarter of annual visitations to the park are Plains bison.

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SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 8

Arts &

Entertainment

Saskatoon glassworkers sold pieces to Carrie Fisher Shannon Boklaschuk Saskatoon Express wo Saskatoon glassworkers had a brush with fame in the fall of 2016, after selling several pieces to the late Carrie Fisher.

Fisher, who played Princess Leia in the Star Wars movie franchise, was in Saskatoon at the time to attend the Saskatoon Comic & Entertainment Expo.

While in the city, she also happened to take in a Saskatoon Glassworkers’ Guild exhibition at the Saskatchewan Craft Council’s gallery on Broadway Avenue. The exhibition included pieces

by Elisabeth and Bob Miller, the local couple behind the business Fractured Glass Studio.

When Bob later received a call on his cellphone, he chose to ignore it because the caller I.D. showed Beverly Hills, Calif. He was unaware at the time that it was actually Fisher calling to express her interest in his work.

After Bob returned Fisher’s call, arrangements were made to meet Fisher in her room at the Delta Bessborough Hotel so she could view some pieces. She ended up purchasing four pieces from the couple.

“That was quite an interesting evening,” said Bob. Fisher also talked about commissioning some other pieces from the Millers, but that, unfortunately, didn’t happen.

She passed away from a heart attack on Dec. 27, 2016, before she had the opportunity to connect again with the couple.

Bob, a science fiction fan, describes meeting Fisher as “a little bit surreal.”

“You hear about these people all the time and have no connection to them and then, all of the sudden, there’s this major connection when she wanted to buy some of the artwork,” said Bob.

T

AS040201 Aaron AS041014 Aaron

Elisabeth and Bob Miller will have their work on display at GlassArt 18. (Photos Supplied) Another unique aspect of the story, “which kind of brings it back full circle,” is that Fisher gave a piece to former Saskatonian and Canadian music icon Joni Mitchell, said Elisabeth.

“She went . . . ‘Oh yeah, and I gave the nest bowl to Joni Mitchell and she really loves it.’ So that was kind of fun,” Elisabeth added.

The Millers, who have been working with glass for about seven years, are among the artists who will have their work on display at GlassArt 18. The Saskatoon Glassworkers’ Guild is presenting its 30th annual exhibition from April 6 to 8 at the Galleria at Innovation Place, located at 15 Innovation Blvd. GlassArt 18 will kick off with an opening reception on April 6, starting at 7 p.m.

GlassArt 18 will offer an opportunity for people to view the work being done by the guild, take in glassworking demonstrations and talk to guild members about glass. Guild members have varied inter-

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ests, including leaded and folded stained glass, etching, sandblasting, painting, fusing, kiln casting, glassblowing, beadwork, lampworking, airbrushing, lamination, design and colour techniques.

“We’re really quite captured by fusing. For me, it’s you don’t have to follow the lines like you do, necessarily, in stained glass,” said Elisabeth, noting Bob enjoys creating interesting, nontypical pieces.

“We do things on our own. We have our own sort of things that we like to pursue, but we also do some things together.”

Bob, who serves as the president of the Saskatoon Glassworkers’ Guild, said the annual show is a popular event. He added that the styles have changed over the years.

“Most of the members now are doing some sort of fused glass,” he said, noting there are still some traditional leaded techniques shown.

“There’s hundreds of pieces to look at when you get to the show. It’s quite an interesting variety, quite interesting techniques that are shown. Everything looks spectacular. There is always the hope that we get new people coming out to the show, but we definitely see that there’s a lot of repeat people coming — and that’s good to see.”

The People’s Choice Award will be given to the artist who receives the most votes during the show, and a silent auction of guild members’ work will also be a part of the exhibition.

The Saskatoon Glassworkers’ Guild is a non-profit glass art organization that had 49 members as of May 2017. It was formed in 1987 to promote the development of glass art and artists in Saskatoon and area.

For more information about the guild, go online to saskatoonglassworkersguild.org.

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SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 9

&Arts

Entertainment

Live documentary provides ‘kaleidoscopic view’ of homelessness Shannon Boklaschuk Saskatoon Express new theatre experience is coming to Saskatoon.

Persephone Theatre will present Joel Bernbaum’s verbatim play, Home Is a Beautiful Word, April 12 to 21 in association with Sum Theatre and the Broadway Theatre.

“This is a live documentary,” said Bernbaum, a local actor, playwright and journalist.

“I don’t think there’s been one like this in Saskatoon before. I was commissioned by a theatre in Victoria, B.C., to go and do 500 interviews with people in their community about homelessness.

“This came about because I am trained as a journalist and an actor. About six years ago, I went back to school at the university and I studied something called verbatim theatre, which is just a fancy term for making a script out of interviews.

“So I looked at this opportunity as a way to connect my theatre training and my journalism training – and that’s what I mean by live documentary. What people will see when they go to watch the show is people — actors — speaking the words of real people in the community. Every word spoken will be spoken by someone in the community, so nothing is fabricated. So it’s very much an authentic live experience.”

Home is a Beautiful Word is a revival of the Belfry Theatre’s 2014 production and is directed by the Belfry’s artistic director, Michael Shamata. The show gives voice to people who are homeless, people who are housed and people who are a paycheque away from living on the street.

Bernbaum is a graduate of the Canadian

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College of Performing Arts and Carleton University, where he did his master’s degree thesis on verbatim theatre’s relationship to journalism. Home Is a Beautiful Word offered Bernbaum, the founding artistic director of Sum Theatre, an opportunity to combine his interests and to apply what he learned.

Although Bernbaum interviewed many homeless people to prepare for the show, he wanted to interview others in the community as well, to be able to provide “a kaleidoscopic view” of the issue.

“I said, ‘I don’t want to do this piece if it’s a story just about homeless people, because that leads to an us-and-them thing, right?’ Of course homeless people are part of the story, of course I will interview them – and I did interview many, many homeless people and people who have experienced homelessness – but I was only interested in doing this play if I could interview the whole community. So I interviewed kids and senior citizens, businesspeople, health-care professionals.

“The most interesting interviews were actually going door-to-door in housed neighbourhoods and knocking on doors and saying, ‘I’m not a politician; I’m not a salesperson. I’m here because I’m writing a play, and I want your ideas.’ ” Bernbaum is currently working on a new live documentary about race relations with Yvette Nolan for Persephone Theatre’s 2018-2019 season. He has already begun conducting interviews in Saskatoon for that show.

Bernbaum noted that people seem to be interested in documentaries, as “Netflix has kind of endowed the documentary in our culture these days.” The live documentary style was a hit in Victoria,

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Joel Bernbaum is the founding artistic director of Sum Theatre.

(Photo Supplied)

where Home Is a Beautiful Word was first produced.

“The original response was extremely overwhelming,” Bernbaum said. “We got a five-star review, and the entire run was sold out.”

Bernbaum compared creating the live documentary to conducting qualitative research, since themes emerged from his interviews. However, he did not take a scientific approach to deciding what stories to ultimately include in the show, he said.

“I talked to 500 people – thousands of pages of transcripts – but when I was reflecting on my interviews, the ones that I remembered hitting me in the heart, hitting me in the gut, those were the ones that I put into the play.”

Home Is a Beautiful Word has a fivemember cast, comprised of Yoshi Bancroft, Kelt Eccleston, Jonathan Fisher, Kayvon Khoshkam and Tracey Moore.

The play will feature pre-show and post-show discussions. On April 12, 15 and 19 at 7:30 p.m., invited guests from the community will share their perspectives on homelessness with the audiences.

The points-of-view panel discussions will begin 30 minutes prior to the 8 p.m. showtime and are free and open to all.

As well, each performance of Home Is a Beautiful Word will be followed by a short facilitated discussion with audience members, providing them with an opportunity to reflect on their experiences with the play.

Home Is a Beautiful Word will show nightly at 8 p.m. except Mondays at the Broadway Theatre. Tickets are $28 and can be purchased by calling the Persephone Theatre box office at 306-384-7727 or by going online to persephonetheatre. org.

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I

Obama fed Saskatoon crowd pablum

t was disappointing to exquisitely stylish white winghear about the subjects backed chairs.

Michelle Obama broached Photos of Obama herself — or didn’t broach — when weren’t as plentiful, perhaps she was in Saskatoon a couple because they were banned of weeks ago, speaking in completely, including backfront of a crowd of about stage with sponsors and orga8,000 people, mostly women, nizers (Oprah, Hillary Clinton, at SaskTel Centre. and George W. Bush all did I had tickets to attend the grip-and-grin photos with similar engagements in recent local media personalities). years, though I don’t think Obama excludes confidence Columnist I shelled out any money for and charisma and undoubtthem. They were perks from edly could engage an audience my employer. on just about anything. However, with I went to hear Hillary Clinton speak the White House, where she lived until about women in politics. I went to hear recently, in unprecedented turmoil — in Oprah Winfrey share the secrets, in fact the entire United States of America person, to her megalithic success. Admit- perched on the edge of chaos — I, natedly, when it came to Oprah, I also went ively perhaps, thought Michelle Obama just to spectate — to witness one of the would bring some of her incredibly most successful women and one of the unique insights and perspective on these most prolific interviewers in modern me- issues to the stage that evening. dia history be interviewed in front of me.

Based on what I heard from attendMichelle Obama didn’t hold the same ees, however, she served up a pablum of appeal for me, so I didn’t go. predictable, and sometimes stereotypical, There was no political reasonthemes for the women (and men) who ing behind it; I just wasn’t interested. doled out a good chunk of change to hear When the night of her appearance rolled her speak. around, my Facebook feed was predictShe spoke on motherhood, of course, ably filled with breathless cellphone pho- because like the vast majority of her tos and video of the stage, adorned with audience, she is a mom. Great. And vases of fresh flowers and two luxurious, there was a segment all about bringing

TAMMY ROBERT

balance to our lives — how she planted a flower garden at the White House in an attempt to bring positivity to an otherwise often acrimonious space, even back when it was her husband running the joint.

empowered. Anyone can do anything.

Forgive me, I just fell asleep.

It’s not that these aren’t important themes, but a quick Google or podcast search will garner you more results than you can ever read or listen to in your lifetime.

They are issues women have heard about over and over and over. I cannot fathom why Obama wouldn’t assume her audience would not want to hear the former First Lady’s views — even mutedly or sanitized, as necessary — on foreign affairs, data privacy, or gun rights vs. gun violence.

“You don’t want to seem preachy,” Obama told the Saskatoon crowd.

No, you don’t, but nor do you want to seem patronizing.

Forgive me for not wanting to hear It’s not about turning the event into a another extraordinarily wealthy woman political rally or a negative space focuswith copious supports, from child care, ing on the world’s woes. There were security services and drivers to personal plenty of women who came away from stylists and hair and makeup artists by Obama’s appearance feeling inspired, her side, talk to me about balance. which is great.

When you don’t need to find a sitter What it is about is balancing the for your kids so you can get groceries in needs of women in their daily lives a relatively sane fashion, you can’t talk against their interest in the world around to me about balance. Hell, when you them and how they can better understand don’t even get your own groceries, you the issues. Obama is perfectly suited to can’t talk to me about balance. deliver this information.

The next generation needs to step up I guess you could say that it’s all and make a difference. Women must feel about . . . balance.

Forgive me for not wanting to hear another extraordinarily wealthy woman talk to me about balance

Ozone machine helps zap strong odours Dear Reena, tool rental retailers, as well as My daughter and I were some hardware stores. Read interested in purchasing all manufacturers’ instructions a home but the smell of before use. curry was so prevalent in the house that I could smell Dear Reena, it all the way home. It’s a I stored some clothing in lovely home, but will we be a box that became wet after able to get rid of that smell? our basement flooded last I know she would paint the spring. What is the best way walls, but what about the to get rid of the stink? — cupboards, backsplash etc.

Esther Household Would you have any recomDear Esther, Solutions mendations? — Marilyn Before washing the clothes, Dear Marilyn, soak them in hot water and For overpowering smells, you may Borax. Borax contains no phosphates want to consider renting an ozone and no bleach and it is wonderful at machine because the smell will disapzapping hard-to-handle odours. If you pear quickly. This little machine is not cannot locate borax, use a generous recommended for regular use, but it is amount of Oxy Clean or tea tree oil and great for enclosed areas that have had vinegar or baking soda. Adding vinegar smoke or flood damage, or just smell. to laundry loads is a wonderful idea, but The machine lets out a molecule called for this instance you need to use fullO3 (which of course is oxygen with an strength vinegar and tea tree oil and soak extra molecule attached). The third mol- for at least two hours before laundering. ecule escapes into the air and absorbs all Launder clothing with hot water and odours. These machines can be rented at heavy-duty detergent.

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and laundry soap. Hang clothes outside on a clothesline; the whites washed with bleach get even whiter. — Pauline Tip for the Kitchen I am known around my town as being a great Italian pizza maker, because I never serve a soggy crust. Here is my secret: Put the cheese onto the crust, next add the sauce and last add the meat. — Morgan

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CT040204 Carol SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 11

Saskatoon’s diversity, youth “feels like hope and promise”

“I

(Continued from page 1) f fentanyl and other opioids impact our province like they have other provinces, we’re really going to feel the pinch in policing, the health region, addictions services and everything associated with it,” said Cooper.

“For Saskatoon, not only do we have to address it for the health and safety for the people who live here, but oftentimes a large centre is a distribution point for small communities. On reserve, small towns, in rural areas, we have a role to play in the future of their safety, if the drugs are coming through our community here.”

The growing drug problem is a symptom of other social issues stemming from poverty, education levels and employment levels, Cooper said.

“It’s not surprising then that we’re easily victimized by particularly an inexpensive drug like fentanyl.”

Not surprisingly, another big challenge — organized crime — is a significant connection to drug trafficking.

“Organized crime in Saskatchewan looks like drug trafficking. That’s their primary source of business. We know tackling drugs is not just a local issue.”

The police are also bracing for a changing scenario after marijuana legalization.

He said there will be some benefits to the legislation, such as keeping profits out of the hands of organized crime.

However, he said, “We’re not naïve enough to think there will be no organized crime involved in cannabis sale. Of course there will be. We just have to make sure when we set up our policies and our legislation that it does its best to keep them out.”

Cooper hopes for advancements in cybercrime, as well. At present, it’s not well recorded nor reported; but electronic fraud increases every year.

“In some jurisdictions they do track it, and they will tell you the amount of cybercrime is more than all other crimes put together,” he said. “We need a co-ordinated way in Canada to know what’s happening before we can start tackling it. There’s a lot of work happening on that right now.

The future of cybercrime will be to report through an electronic mechanism.

“There will be people who analyze that information, look for trends, collate the information, look for potential offences, try to find countries of origin, try to find potential suspects and then send it back out to the police services for investigation.

“In the last federal budget, funding was made available for a cybercrime co-ordination centre, and that’s the kind of work it will do when it’s functional.”

Cooper noted that the police service was founded in 1903, and little changed in the first half of its existence. Now, change is coming at the service at lightning speed, and it has to adapt. Young people will be a big part of the adaptation.

“The generations coming into policing now are used to that. For people my age it seems daunting. I’m of the age where I look for an instruction manual, where people in their 20s and 30s now don’t bother. By the time they understand the instruction manual, there are new instructions. I think we have some real strength in the fact we’re a young province . . . and we have this diverse demographic in the city that we can pick the best candidates.”

The gold standard Many Saskatonians can remember a time when there was little trust in the city’s police force. Some officers were accused of “starlight tours,” and were implicated in the freezing death of Neil Stonechild.

The force has changed dramatically since then, said Cooper.

“It was a requirement for change.

Sometimes you require crisis for change; and that was a crisis, absolutely. We see some of that lingering, some of the distrust and some of the pain, around the justice system,” said Cooper, who expects change to come. “I think that helped push the police service forward into an era of professionalism, or professionalizing.”

Today, Cooper says Saskatoon is the gold standard for policing, “and that is absolutely the truth. The work that’s been done here and continues to be done here every day is incredible. It’s a challenging environment for our officers; the work is getting more dangerous. You see more weapons and firearms, and that again is related back to drugs.

“We need to make sure our officers are safe, and that’s part of my motivation for tackling root causes around drugs. I don’t want to see an officer hurt; I don’t want to see a member of the public hurt, either.”

The force is today defined by professionalism, accountability, transparency and an ethical standard that is enforced and measured through surveys, said Cooper.

“They understand that professionalism is something that requires public trust. That trust is fragile, so it’s an everyday activity to maintain trust and professionalism.

“Secondly, I think they realize they have to be the community, not just be applied to the community. They have to be reflective of the community, have the community in the building, and they’ve done that in many different ways.

“It’s a foundation of policing that the public are the police, and the police are the public. It’s all of our responsibility. You can see that here; there’s no disconnect.”

Still, there is clearly more to be done.

“Root cause issues and the health of the community are not just about crime. Health of a community means things like truancy rates; it means things like access to medical facilities and educational facilities and employment opportunities and things that have nothing to do with crime, but have everything to do with crime. We’re concerned about the health of that community, and not just about offending rates.

“Many years ago, the police weren’t aligned well with those sorts of services.

Now we see our role, that there may be some connection to what we do or don’t do.”

Cooper’s Métis heritage informs his policing vision, but he notes that because he does not appear to be a member of a visible minority, he does not speak for a community or cultural group.

“It would be offensive for me to act as though I represented someone that had experiences I didn’t experience,” he said.

“I never want to be thought of as someone speaking for a community group or cultural group. When I speak, I speak as a police officer. The decisions I make as a police officer, just like any police officer, my decisions and my thoughts are based on or informed by my life experiences.

“The fact I have been surrounded by a culture my whole life, my family connections, my grandchildren, my grandmother — that informs how I see the world, and I think it’s a good news story because if police can be biased, can be prejudiced based on their experiences, I know we can add positive experience. We can change their bias . . . so that they can function in the community in a positive way.”

Cooper is married and has five children, three of them at home; and now, also, grandchildren.

“My grandchildren are First Nations children and so I have another connection to policing, because right now there’s a large focus on violence against women, violence against the Indigenous community. When I go home at night, that’s what I look at and care about. These are issues, of course, that are personal to me.”

Just a month in Saskatoon now, he has a couple of further observations about how it’s going so far.

“I think I have an incredible organization.

I knew a lot of the senior staff before I got here, but the people I’ve met in the organization are top notch. It’s been stunning, the quality of staff that are here. I was amazed.

“And the community itself; I’ve had a real positive experience from the community so far. The diversity is amazing, and the youth and the energy. You can feel it in the city. It feels like hope and promise, and that’s because of the youth. I think it’s a city poised to do a lot of things.”

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SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 12

Hope, shipped to your door

A

By Lesley Porter ccording to the Canadian Mental Health Association, one in five Canadians will experience some form of mental illness in their life.

One University of Saskatchewan student-turned-entrepreneur is hoping to lessen the burden of mental health issues with a new subscription box service called Courage Box. Subscription boxes have taken off in recent years, where customers can set up a monthly shipment of anything from comic books to pet treats to fancy patterned socks.

Created by third-year women’s and gender studies student Shawn Clouthier, Courage Box is a similar subscription service aimed at providing strategies for those with anxiety and depression to deal with their illness.

Clouthier started Courage Box in 2016.

She recalled going through “an awful mental health period” that included dropping out of school, quitting her job and moving home. During this time, she started to look for a subscription box with self-help elements for mental health. She ultimately came up short and, with encouragement from a friend, decided to make her own.

While it may have been a hard time for Clouthier, something good came out of it.

“It created opportunity for me to do something like this because I didn’t have anything else to do,” she said.

She invested some of her birthday money and joined Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan, a non-profit organization that provides resources for women-backed businesses in the province. The organization

Fast facts about mental illness • The total number of 12-19 year olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is more than three million.

• Approximately eight per cent of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives.

• By age 40, about half the population will have or have had a mental illness.

• Almost one half (49 per cent) of those who feel they have suffered from anxiety or depression have never gone to see a doctor about it.

• Mental health problems and illnesses cost the Canadian economy at least $50 billion per year.

Sources: Canadian Mental Health Association; Mental Health Commission of Canada connected her with a business advisor and helped her craft a solid business plan. From there, she got a loan from Futurepreneur — a mentorship company for young people starting businesses — and crowdfunded the rest to get Courage Box off the ground.

From idea to product, the process took about a year.

“It took longer than I thought — I was kind of naïve,” Clouthier said with a laugh.

Each box has a theme and is created in consultation with a mental health professional. The first box, which shipped in February, had 61 subscribers from across Canada as well as one American subscriber.

The box contained tools to assist with mood

U of S student Shawn Clouthier has created a new subscription box service called Courage Box. (Photo by Lesley Porter) tracking and accurately naming emotions, and reciting positive affirmation and coping statements.

Going forward, Clouthier would like to broaden the reach of Courage Box. Expanding to other campuses is top-of-mind; she is conscious of shipping costs, which can be prohibitive. Saskatoon and area residents have the option to pick up their boxes at the USSU Help Centre in the Memorial Union Building on campus.

A subscription costs $40 per month. If possible, she’d like to make Courage Box more affordable, perhaps through sponsored or donated boxes.

“I do think that your mental health is worth the investment, but people with men-

Cam Hutchinson & Friends:

R

OJ calls out Kappy for kneeling

andy Turner of the Winnipeg Free Press, on the Jets hitting the 100-point mark: “Winnipeggers haven’t been this excited since somebody held the first garage sale.”

• From Torben Rolfsen: “I don’t think the Vancouver Canucks are trying to push the Sedins out, but their bobblehead giveaways this week depicted them in rocking chairs.”

• Janice Hough, on reports that Israeli PM Netanyahu was rushed to hospital with a very high fever: “Hope he hasn’t had tea with any Russians lately.”

• TC Chong, on an episode of road rage in Florida involving a person hitting another with a baseball bat: “If this was a Mariners player, he would have swished three times.”

• Ronda Rousey says Floyd Mayweather will never take an MMA fight and said he’d get his ass handed to him if he did. Rousey knows all about that.

• Hough, on the spring training game between the Angels and Dodgers ending in the fifth inning because of a foul-smelling sewage leak onto the field: “Some punchlines just write themselves.”

• From Rolfsen: “They call Angels rookie Shohei Ohtani the ‘Babe Ruth of Japan.’ Is he smoking cigars and drinking on trains?”

• Chong, on Gisele Bundchen saying she is not pressuring Tom to retire: “This statement came after rumours that Johnny Manziel might be his replacement.”

• For those thinking Vladdy Jr. shouldn’t be rushed to the majors by the Blue Jays, Rob Fai, the voice of the Vancouver Canadians baseball team, offers this piece of info: Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Tim Raines, Alan Trammel, Robin Yount, Ken Griffey Jr., Bryce Harper and Mike Trout are among those who debuted in the majors at 19 or younger.

• I like this story. Actor Burt Reynolds, who stars in a new film called The Last Movie Star, recalled in a television interview the time his father

arrested him for fighting. The combatants were thrown into the drunk tank, with the other boys being released when their fathers came to pick them up. Reynolds was left alone in the cell. His father, a hard-nosed cop, looked at his son and said, “Your father didn’t show up.”

• Hough, on LiAngelo Ball declaring himself for the 2018 NBA draft: “Who wouldn’t want a middling talent with a shoplifting record and an interfering dad from hell?”

• From Chong: “Tiger Woods’ game is back big time, and so are job applications for pancake waitresses at Augusta and Windermere, Florida.”

• Oops. Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star had this line in a recent column when talking about the Baltimore Orioles’ starting rotation: “(There are) more 3s and 4s than a Latvian beauty pageant.”

• From Rolfsen: “The NCAA basketball tournament featured matchups between so-called studentathletes. Many of the players have never been near a paper unless it was rolled.”

• In case you missed it because most Canadian media packed up and went home after the Winter Olympics, our Paralympics team brought home a record 28 medals. That’s nine better that our previous best performance.

• OJ Simpson said Colin Kaepernick made a mistake when he kneeled during the national anthem. If anybody knows a little something about mistakes, it would be OJ Simpson.

• From Hough: “So many basketball fans love to hate Grayson Allen and Duke. It really would have been fun to have March Madness final between Sister Jean’s Ramblers and the Blue Devils.

Good vs. Evil.”

• Here’s an odd one: former Expo pitcher Floyd Youmans is driving for Uber in Nashville.

• Rolfsen, on Iceland announcing it is boycotting of the 2018 World Cup in Russia: “Word is Canada and the U.S. may not send their teams either.”

C

tal illness are disproportionately affected by poverty, so it can be difficult for a lot of people to afford,” she said.

Clouthier acknowledges that Courage Box isn’t a replacement for professional help, but is more of a supplemental resource — shipped to your door, no less.

“I don’t think anything can really replace one-on-one time with a trained professional,” she said. “But it’s an additional resource for people to access, especially if the idea of accessing these resources is really daunting, or if you’re really busy.”

(Lesley Porter is an alumni and development communications co-ordinator at the University of Saskatchewan. )

Views of the World

Be they ever so humble

By RJ Currie an’t say I’d like Toronto’s chances against Cleveland in the NBA playoffs. Every time a Raptor faces LeBron, he turns into Dino from the Flintstones.

• Danica Patrick said she’s going to the Indy 500 to win it. I felt renewed motivation to log into Twitter again to ask Tessa Virtue to marry me.

• A Behr paint expert quoted in USA Today said tennis balls are neither green nor yellow. Which tells us it was a really slow day in sports.

• Five-time Pro Bowl DT Ndamukong Suh has signed with the Los Angeles Rams. He spent the last three seasons in Miami — his old stomping grounds.

• On TV last week I saw a clip of a dog producing doo-doo on the ice at an NHL game. Raise your hand if you just thought of the Phoenix Coyotes.

• LeBron James, when asked whom he’d vote for as MVP, said he’d vote for himself. Who’s been giving him humility lessons, Newfoundland skip Brad Gushue?

• Crowds reportedly behaved badly with Tiger Woods in contention at Bay Hill — including following him to porta-potties. Yep; the further you go into Woods, the more nuts you find.

• UMBC was so unknown before March Madness, my autocorrect kept changing it to MSNBC. So I had MSNBC knocking off No. 1 Virginia — how’s that for an upset?

• Johhny Manziel told TSN he’s humbler now and takes nothing for granted. I’m guessing when he said he’d go quarterback in the CFL, he really meant he’s willing to try out?

• A steer named Checkers earned the highest bid at the San Antonio Rodeo auction. Bidders liked his muscle tone, structural correctness and how he only walked diagonally.

• Paris Hilton’s $2 million, 20-carat engagement ring she lost at a Miami club was found in an ice bucket. I saw a pic of the ring — must have been the world’s biggest ice bucket.

• ESPN said the Alliance of America Football is wisely avoiding the NFL season and “staying in its lane.” Staying in your lane is why I was never good at bowling.

RJ’s Groaner of the Week The San Antonio Rodeo’s junior auction, where one steer fetched $110,000, raised over $11 million for Texas children in scholarships and grants. A good example of cows and effect.

SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 13

Green was the Colour Gardenscape, with its incredible array of colours, is over for another year.

Now Saskatoon gardeners will have to wait for the snow to melt and the sun to shine before creating an oasis of colour in their own yards. Good things come to those who wait.

(Photos by Sandy Hutchinson)

S

It may be time to reimagine our library system

ome of the city’s large faviewing, listening, studying, or cilities, including SaskTel reference; where books may be Centre, TCU Place, the read or borrowed. In my opinRemai Modern Art Gallery and ion, libraries are also essential the Saskatoon Public Library, to advancing literacy and the operate under independent education of a society. I think boards. our library system has admiMembers on these boards are rably met these expectations appointed by council and usuthroughout its history. ally are comprised of citizens Mayfair was home to the who have applied to serve on first branch library in the 1950s, a board of their interest. Board followed by J.S. Wood in 1966.

Columnist members represent the comIt was a brilliant concept to munity at large and some may bring library services to the have management experience or expertise public, but it didn’t catch fire until the relevant to the facility needs.

1980s and 1990s when numerous other Each of these boards will also consist branches opened in the city as it grew. of two councillors, presumably acting as Currently the SPL boasts, at last count, a conduit to council. And each board will eight branches strategically located around employ the equivalent of a general manour growing and expanding city. They are ager, although the titles may differ. well-used by their communities both for The boards take care of the day-to-day accessing literature and as community operations of the facility, do long-term meeting places. planning, budgeting and through the genAnother brilliant move by SPL was ineral manager, staffing. troducing online book reservations. From They report to council annually and the comfort of their homes, residents can for the best part (supposedly) generate search for and order books/materials they revenue to sustain the larger portion of op- want, and when the material is ready they erational costs — except for the Saskatoon will receive an automated telephone call or Public Library (SPL), which is funded by email advising that their order is ready for property taxes. pickup. It can be picked up at their closest However, it is council that approves branch library. In today’s busy world, this their budgets and is ultimately responsible service is another innovative way to bring for the actions of these entities and cannot library services to the public and defines abdicate that responsibility. Given the the purpose of a publicly-funded library recent reports on the activities surrounding system. the SPL, methinks it is time council had a As well as lending materials, the downsit down with this board. town branch houses a local history room, What is a library? My definition lines fine arts department, a dedicated children’s up with the dictionary’s, which is a place department and a computer lab along with set apart to contain books, periodicals, a plethora of other services. manuscripts or other material for reading, More than a decade ago, the library

ELAINE HNATYSHYN

board started vocalizing the need for a new downtown library. The building no longer met building codes and changes were necessary for a modern library service.

It would seem renovations were not an option, nor was further decentralization. If a new central library were to be built, does anyone really believe that people living in the far reaches of the city would drive downtown, search and pay for parking, in order to borrow a book? Or pay bus fare and ride a bus (or buses) for a half hour each way?

For whatever reason, shelves in the branch libraries are being “decluttered” (emptied), supposedly in accordance with accessibility guidelines.

While the decluttering is happening, some library employees question why some materials are being removed from circulation and conflicting reports emerge about the size of the material collection.

And there are members of the public who feel the library system is no longer focused on user-friendly service delivery.

I am dumbfounded by what is happening with unionized library staff.

I am neither pro nor anti-union. To my mind unions were rightfully founded to protect the rights of workers, but occasionally they have stepped over the line into the management zone.

It is the ongoing battle for control between labour and management. However, the idea that long-term library staff can be terminated from employment, be required to reapply for jobs and, if they get a job, be paid at lower salary, is disturbing.

There must be one major loophole in their collective bargaining agreement. It is fair game if the library board wants to change the employment structure for the

future, but decency demands grandfathering in employees who have given decades of their life to SPL. Call me a cynic, but I am concerned that movement is afoot to diminish the branches and beef up the central library to create the need for a new building. It was reported that “cuts to the collection is offset by increased storage at its central branch.”

Why would you store more items at the central branch where space is deemed an issue? What the library needs is a warehouse to store its excess materials for distribution to the nine library sites.

In the past, the library board has indicated that it wants to include a coffee shop and gift shop, meeting rooms and probably all the amenities the bookstore giants like Chapters or McNally Robinson offer.

But there is a big difference between a for-profit bookstore and a publicly funded library. Taxpayers don’t have to support private enterprise, but they do have to pay the costs of a public library system.

It was suggested that the price of a new downtown library would be in the $80 to $120-million range and implied that library taxes could be used to fund the project. On my last property tax bill, the library taxes tipped over the $500 mark. That amount of money can buy me a pile of books, especially if they are downloaded onto an electronic device. And a lot of research can be done online.

Yes, it is time for council to have a chat with the library board, define what a public library is and determine just how much taxpayers are willing to pay for library services. And all should remember that books are more important than buildings. ehnatyshyn@gmail.com

SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 14

Saskatchewan Rush fans love celebrating goals.

James Zintel created the Rush comic book for superheroes night. (Photos by Darren Steinke)

Rush players become superheroes in comic book Darren Steinke Saskatoon Express ames Zintel was surprised when he received an email from the Saskatchewan Rush about putting together a comic book about the team.

The 33-year-old Saskatoon resident has had an interest in comics and drawing all his life, and has been creating comic books and doing comic book art for about a decade. He had never before been approached by a sports team regarding such a project.

He remembered the first correspondence from the Rush being polite, asking if he was interested in the project and if he had heard of the team.

Zintel had been following the Rush’s exploits since the National Lacrosse League franchise relocated to Saskatoon for the 2016 regular season, so he got a kick about being asked if he heard of the team.

“I was like, ‘I’m from Saskatoon, so yes,’” said Zintel.

From there, the concept of what the project was all about unfolded. The team wanted to sell the comic book as part of its “superheroes night” promotion with all the proceeds going to Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation.

The 24-page well-drawn publication was sold at the Rush home game against the Rochester Knighthawks on March 24 for $5 a copy.

Zintel said he came up with a concept of a story and sent it to the Rush. “(I wanted to) make sure everything was OK before I started drawing it,” said Zintel.

DS040203 Dan

J

Zintel and the team went back and forth on the story a little bit, noting the Rush staff had some good observations.

“There were a couple of revisions on the story just because they shouldn’t have a fist fight in the children’s hospital,” said Zintel. “It was a good idea (to leave that out).”

The finished product featured the Rush players, the Original 16 Crush Dance Team, Grandma Rush, Bruiser the Bulldog and the Rush Hulk. There was also an appearance by the Rush monster truck.

The comic includes locations like the Saskatoon Food Bank and Learning Centre, a completed Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital and the SaskTel Centre.

The plot involves a group of bad guys that seem to follow the Rush players around Saskatoon. Before the start of a lacrosse game, the leader of the bad guys reveals himself to the Rush and states his intention to get rid of the team and the NLL and replace all of them with the Xtreme Lacrosse League.

The comic contains a lot of easy-tofollow humour. It includes Grandma Rush questioning if the team’s monster truck is a street legal ride when it picks up captain Chris Corbeil and star forward Mark Matthews.

Other humour includes the Rush players comparing notes about all the places the bad guys were following them to, which also happened to be some of the club’s major sponsors.

Zintel had a trick to getting all the Rush players in.

The Original 16 Crush Dance Team were catwomen on superheroes night.

The Rush Hulk poses with two of his many fans.

“It was mostly just kind of going through the roster,” said Zintel. “It was like picking it off as I went.”

To add to the humour, the bad guys turned out to be as hapless as your regular WWE jobber like the Brooklyn Brawler.

Zintel was pleased the comic was used to raise proceeds for the Children’s Hospital, and he was happy to give back

to the community. He’s open to doing similar projects in the future.

When asked if he would work with the Rush on another comic book project, Zintel responded emphatically, “I sure would.”

(You can see more of Darren Steinke’s work in his online blog stankssermon. blogspot.ca.)

Free Saskatoon Express newspaper pickup boxes are located at:

he t p u k c Pi the f o e u t iss n e r r u c

n o o t a k Sas ss Expre per a p s w e N

• Broadway area – 5 corners, Extra Foods, Starbucks • Buena Vista – Shell at 1101 Broadway Avenue • Confederation Mall – Outside Safeway, Inside North Entrance, Inside BMO Entrance • Downtown – Hotel Senator Corner, Saskatoon School Board Corner, Sturdy Stone Corner, Midtown Plaza (rear entrance), Outside RBC Bank,

Outside Remai Arts Centre, Transit Mall • Lakeview – Inside Mall at Taylor St & Kingsmere Blvd • Lawson Heights – Shell at 7 Assiniboine Drive • Mayfair – Shell at 1740 Idylwld Dr N and A&W at 1607 Idylwyld Dr • Montgomery – Gregg’s Grocery and Shell on 11th Street • North End – 2310 Millar Avenue • Nutana – Market Mall Outside Safeway and Dollarama Entrance

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SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 15

S

n o o t a ask EVENTS

FEATURE EVENT

is being held in Saskatoon at 2 p.m. The cost is $90, or $70 for students. If you are interested in attending this session, please call Tim at 306-242-7408 or e-mail trf674@ campus.usask.ca.

The board of directors of the Saskatoon Native Circle Ministry welcomes everyone to a steak night and silent auction on at 6 p.m. at Mulberries Restaurant. Call Sharon at 306-978-9577 for tickets: $25. Support the food program, counselling and art program at the mission on 20th Street.

APRIL 9

APRIL 13

MUSIC

Renters of Saskatoon and Area (ROSA) meeting with renting supports. Topic: Renter barriers to the Rental Justice systems. St. Thomas-Wesley United Church (808 20th St. West) at 2 p.m. Child care and snacks available. Ring doorbell for elevator accessibility. Volunteers wanted. Contact renters. rosa@gmail.com or go to @rentersrosa on Facebook.

APRIL 10 and 19

Seniors Tech Buddy Fairs: Presentations on financial fraud and Internet safety. One on one help with tech devices by APRIL 4 students from local high schools. Learn how to use your Raine Hamilton, a Winnipeg songstress, is touring in support laptop, tablet, iPad, smartphone, iPhone or other device. of the current release, Night Sky. She sings in both English April 10 at St. Joseph High School. 9:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. and French, is a charming storyteller and also can play registration/check-in. 9:45 a.m. to 11 a.m. financial fraud violin and guitar. With her versatility, she’s played three and Internet safety presentations. 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. times with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. 8 p.m. The one-on-one help with technology by high school students.

Bassment (202 Fourth Ave. North). Tickets $18 for SJS April 19 at Bishop James Mahoney High School. 10 a.m. to members, $23 for non-members.

10:30 a.m. registration/check-in. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

APRIL 6 financial fraud and Internet safety presentations. 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. one on one help with technology by high Alex Goodman was the winner of first prize and the Public school students.

Choice’s award at the 2014 Montreux Jazz Festival’s international guitar competition in Switzerland. He was also $10 fee to cover administration costs. To register phone: nominated for a Juno award in 2013 for contemporary jazz 306-652-2255 or email admin@scoa.ca o in-person at Saskatoon Council On Aging in the Saskatoon album of the year. He now works out of New York and will be accompanied by Mat Marantz and two fellow Canadians. Field House.

Rick Rosato and Adam Arruda. 9 p.m. The Bassment.

APRIL 13-15 Tickets $23 and $28.

Artists’ Workshop: 28th Annual Art Show and Sale at APRIL 7 Grace Westminster Church Auditorium (505 10th St. East Saskatoon). April 13 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., April 14 from 10 Although he’s primarily known for a long run with The Northern Pikes, Jay Semko is an extremely productive solo a.m. to 5 p.m., and April 15 from noon to 4 p.m. Presented

by Margaret Bremner, Molly Clark, Jean Dudley, Lorraine artist and is introducing a new CD. He will be performKhachatourians, Monika Kinner-Whalen, Val Miles, Paige ing songs from his 10 solo albums. 8 p.m. The Bassment.

Mortensen, Valerie Munch, Gail Prpick, Sharron Schoenfeld, Tickets $20 and $25.

Kathleen Slavin, Marilyn Weiss and Cindy Wright. For further ***** information see https://artistsworkshop.ca and https:// Grace-Westminster United Church (505 10th St. East) www.facebook.com/artistsworkshopsaskatoon/ present Sanctuary Much and The Harmonics ‘Groovin,’ ***** with guest trumpeter Barrie Redford. Dinner and musical Prairie River Artists, Show and Sale, Albert Community concert. Dinner at 6 and show at 7:30. Tickets are $30 for Centre (Clarence and 11th, South). April 13 from 6:30 to 9 the dinner and show and $15 for the show. Call 306-382p.m. April 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and April 15th 11am to 0402 for tickets.

4:30pm. Wheelchair accessible, free, refreshments.

APRIL 14-15

Station Singers presents Dan Forrest’s Requiem for the Living and water themed songs. Featuring Duff Warkentin conductor, Sharryl Riekman accompanist, and the Station Ensemble. April 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Rosthern Mennonite Church Rosthern. April 15 at 7:30 p.m. at Grace Westminster Church Saskatoon. Tickets available at Station Arts Centre, McNally Robinson Books and from choir members.

EVENTS FURNITURE NEEDED Village Green Furniture & Appliances at 308 20th St. West is in urgent need of donations of good quality, gently-used furniture, household items and appliances. Drop off your donations at the back door (9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to– Saturday) or call for a free pick-up (306-665-0102). A charitable donation receipt is available for items valued at $100 or more. Village Green is a non-profit, supporting the local and global relief, development, and peace projects of Mennonite Central Committee.

APRIL 6-7 St. Martin’s United Church Gigantic Garage Sale. (2617 Clarence Avenue). April 6 from 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. outside only, including a pizza sale; April 7 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., inside and outside. Pancake and sausage breakfast, bake sale, burgers, hot dogs and homemade pies, silent auction, toys, books, collectibles, electronics, furniture, appliances, hardware and so much more. For more information, contact the church at 306-343-7101.

APRIL 6-8 30th anniversary of GlassArt, the annual show of the Saskatoon Glassworkers Guild, a non-profit formed in 1987 to promote excellence in glass art in Saskatoon. Hours on April 6 are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; on April 7 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on April 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. GlassArt is held at the Galleria, 15 Innovation Boulevard at Innovation Place. Free admission. For more information, go to www. saskatoonglassworkersguild.org.

APRIL 7 The Saskatoon Horticulture Society presents M.P.M. Nair on the subject of Growing and Developing Low Light Tolerant Plants for Indoors 1- 3 p.m. at the Glen at Crossmount — 13 kilometres south of the city on Lorne Avenue. Free for members and $10 for non-members. Seating is limited to 30. Please reserve your space by contacting Angie at askiba@shaw.ca. ***** MENSA is an international, non-profit society for people who score among the top two per cent of the general population on a standardized IQ test. A supervised IQ testing session

APRIL 14 Living well with an autoimmune condition. Smiley’s Buffet & Event Centre (702 Circle Drive East). Registration at 12:30 p.m. and presentations at 1 p.m. Presenters are Anshu Gupta and Theresa Ziegler. Everyone welcome, including youth with lupus or any autoimmune disease, those newly diagnosed and veterans and medical personnel. There is no admission charge. For pre-registration or more information, call Irene at 1-877-566-6123 or email idrieger@sasktel.net. ***** Flea market from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Western Development Museum. Free admission, The event is sponsored by the Pioneer Threshermen’s Club of the WDM.

APRIL 18-19 The Saskatoon Craft Guild is proud to present its 2018 Display and Tea on from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. each day. The tea will be held at the Masonic Temple (1021 Saskatchewan Cres.) Admission is $5 and includes entry to the Display and Tea Room. Featured crafts include: Quilting, Smocking, Crochet, Knitting, Needlepoint, Creative Stitchery, Hardanger, Rug Making, Card Making and Swedish Weaving.

APRIL 19 Seniors Neighbourhood Hub Clubs - Mayfair Hub Club.

Mayfair United Church (902 33rd St. West) from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. There is no cost to attend. Program: Spring Birding Presentation/Bird Brains. Visit www.scoa.ca or phone 306652-2255 for more information.

APRIL 20 Who Let the Dogs Out, a celebration of International Guide Dog Day.To celebrate, the Saskatoon chapter of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians will be having a fundraising event on April 20 at Hudson’s Canada’s Pub (401 21st St. East) Doors open at 6 p.m., with supper served at 7 p.m.

Tickets are $25 person which includes a burger, fries, and Caesar salad, as well as one beverage of your choice. The evening will include music and other entertainment. There will be door prizes and a fifty-fifty draw. To purchase tickets in advance, email saskatoon@blindcanadians.ca with your contact information and the number of tickets you would like to purchase. Tickets can also be purchased at the door on the night of the event.

ONGOING BOOKS WANTED The Community Day Program, at Sherbrooke Community Centre, is now accepting gently used books for its upcoming book sale. Please no textbooks, damaged books or Reader’s Digests. We would greatly appreciate kid’s books.

We will also accept intact board games and puzzles, as well

NSBA awards presented

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ore than 560 business and community leaders gathered at Prairieland Park last week for the NSBA’s 21st Annual Business Builder Awards gala. The following awards were presented: • Business Builder Award – zu • Community Builder Award – Stantec • Employee Retention & Development Award – Vendasta • Export Award – Industrial Machine & Mfg. Ltd. • Member of the Year – Ken Kreutzweiser, ICR Commercial Real Estate • New Direction Award – SARCAN Recycling • Pursuit of Excellence Award – David Aplin Group • Quality Management Award – David Aplin Group • Safe Employer Award – Allnorth • Shirley Ryan Lifetime Achievement as CD s. The book sale will take place on May 17. We will accept your donations until May 11. Sherbrooke Community Centre at 401 Acadia Drive. ***** The Canadian Federation of University Women is accepting donations of books, CDs, DVDs and puzzles for their Mammoth Book Sale in October. Help us turn books into scholarships. For more information contact Alverta, 306-652-7708 or Marilyn, 306-249-4142.

EVERY WEDNESDAY Singles Social Group - “All About Us” for people in their 50s to 70s. Weekly Wednesday restaurant suppers, monthly brunch, movie nights and more. Meet new friends. No membership dues. For more information email: allaboutus@ shaw.ca or phone 306-249-0254. ***** Seven Seas Toastmasters, an energetic and dynamic club, invites you to join us from noon to 1 p.m. in the LDAS Building. (2221 Hanselman Court.) For more information, visit http://3296.toastmastersclubs.org/ ***** The FASD Network of Saskatchewan offers monthly support meetings for individuals living with FASD and caregivers on Wednesdays at the Network office (510 Cynthia St). The free-of-charge support meetings are an informative and engaging space for people to connect with each other for ongoing support. For information and times, visit www. saskfasdnetwork.ca/events ***** Le Choeur des plaines welcomes you to sing and socialize in French each Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at L’École canadienne française at 1407 Albert Avenue. The choir is directed by Michael Harris and accompanied by Rachel Fraser. All who wish to sustain or practice their French are welcome. For more information, call Rachel at 306-343-6641 or Jean at 306-343-9460. ***** Saskatoon Community Contact for the Widowed (SCCW).

Coffee at 9:30 a.m. every Wednesday at St. Martin’s United Church (2617 Clarence Avenue). The group also has a general meeting on the third Sunday of every month, with the exception of July and August. For more information, contact Mildred at 306-242-3905 or the church at 306-343-7101. ***** T.O.P.S (Take Off Pounds Sensibly). New members are welcome. A supportive, friendly group that meets weekly focusing on healthy eating, exercise and weight loss. For more information go to www.tops.org or call Debbie at 306-668-4494. Meetings are at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 310 Lenore Drive. New member orientation every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. *****

Answers

Award – Norm Wallace, Wallace Construction Specialties • Small Business Award – Complete Technologies • Team Building Award – SREDA • Young Promising Entrepreneur Award – Biktrix Electric Bikes “On behalf of the NSBA Board and members, I congratulate this year’s Business Builder Award recipients,” NSBA board chair Alan Migneault said in a news release. “2017 presented some great opportunities and also some very challenging times, and this group of companies has not only navigated those waters, but done so with success. They have demonstrated endurance, creativity and a commitment to our great community. These companies and their leaders provide inspiring examples for all Saskatchewan businesses.”

Bargain store to support the inner city Lighthouse project.

Babies’, children’s, women’s and men’s clothing; jewelry, purses, belts and camping clothes available. Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Paul’s United Church, 454 Egbert Avenue. Prices from $0.25 to $5. Everyone is welcome. For more information: Call 306-955-3766 (church) or go to spuconline.com or email zixiag@gmail. com.

FIRST AND THIRD SUNDAY OF EVERY MONTH Pet Loss Support Group offers support and comfort to people who are struggling with the loss of a beloved companion animal due to old age, sickness or other reasons.

The no-obligation support group meets at 2 p.m. at the W.A. Edwards Centre, 333 Fourth Ave. North, Saskatoon. For more information or telephone support, call 306-343-5322.

SECOND MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH Renters of Saskatoon and area meeting. 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

St Thomas Wesley United Church, Lower Hall (808 20th St. West). ROSA supports renters and shares information to work towards better, affordable, and safe rental housing for all. Child-minding available. Ring doorbell for elevator access. For further information contact: 306-657-6100, or email renters@classiclaw.ca.

TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS, SATURDAYS Free art drop-in at the SCYAP Art Centre. All ages are welcome, all materials supplied, no registration required.

Tuesdays 5:30 p.m. - 9 p.m., Thursdays 5:30 p.m. - 9 p.m., and Saturdays 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.

THIRD THURSDAY OF THE MONTH The Saskatoon Prostate Cancer Support Group meets every month except July and August at 7:30 p.m. in the W. A. Edwards Family Centre, across from the Saskatoon Funeral Home. For more information, call Murray Hill at 306-2425893 or email murraydhill@me.com.

SECOND WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH Friendship Force International, Saskatoon and Area Club is an organization of more than 360 clubs in more than 50 countries throughout the world. FFI allows you to enjoy economical travel while forging new friendships with club members from around the world. For more information, visit www.thefriendshipforce.org. To attend a meeting contact Bev at 306-291-4411 or bevy-49@hotmail.com.

FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAY OF THE MONTH Resporados support group for people with breathing difficulties takes place at 1 p.m. at Jerry’s on Eighth Street for a lunch meeting. For more information, call Dave at 306-665-6937 or Susan at 306-373-4264.

SASKATOONEXPRESS - April 2-8, 2018 - Page 16

Playing to learn and translating history

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By Eden Friesen he shelf above Benjamin Hoy’s desk in his Arts Tower office is lined with glossy boxes rather than books. Here is a space in which work and play intentionally overlap.

“Games help translate historical lessons into tin and pasteboard that children can play,” said Hoy, assistant professor of history at the University of Saskatchewan and author of two upcoming papers that examine historical and contemporary uses of board games.

“I started liking history—loving history—because I played games,” he said. But games are more than just fun to Hoy, the winner of a 2017 Provost’s Outstanding New Teacher Award. He understands them as a tool for education.

“I’d love it if historians were the main way that people learned about history,” he said. “But we’re not.”

Hoy’s recent work revolves around how people in the past used games to teach culture, politics and history, and how games today are used for similar purposes. He sees games as a medium that “adults often use to translate the past into a format children can experience and understand.

In general, a child is not likely to go to war, but they can play the war and, in the process, learn about their culture.”

In an upcoming paper titled “Cardboard Indians: Playing History in the American West,” Hoy focuses on the representation of Indigenous North Americans in historical board games from around the world. He examines games as one of the methods through which children have been taught “the underpinnings of American culture.”

“Long before many 19th-century American children interacted with Indigenous communities, they were seeing advertisements that depicted them, they were playing with toys or they were playing games,” said Hoy. “That is one of the most interesting things about looking at games for kids. Children have very limited experiences, and games provide some of their first exposure to ideas about race.”

Part of Hoy’s research for the project involved a fellowship at the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, N.Y. in 2016, where he had the chance to play century-old JW040201 board games James himself.

Benjamin Hoy researches how people in the past used games to teach culture, politics and history.

(Photo by Chris Putnam) “It was wonderful, in the sense that I didn’t realize there were museums of toys,” he said. “Every day, walking through a museum where kids are screaming and having fun is a very different experience than a normal archival trip.”

As well as studying the historical use of games as tools for teaching children, Hoy sees great potential for games in a university classroom. He is currently publishing a paper about his experiences constructing games to make dull or misunderstood subject matter more accessible to students.

One of these challenging subject areas is smuggling across the 19th-century Canada-United States border.

“When students are reading about smuggling, their first impression tends to be, ‘Those people are criminals.

I would never do something like that.’ And that makes it very hard to understand the historic setting,” said Hoy. Hoy’s solution was to design a board game in which some players take the role of customs agents and others

play as merchants. Based on archival records, the game offers merchant players strong incentives to smuggle goods.

“I don’t think there’s a single person who’s played the game who hasn’t chosen to smuggle,” said Hoy. The experience becomes a memorable lesson about “how historic context can shape decisions.”

Hoy’s work on games as teaching tools, both historically and in a contemporary setting, is just the most recent in a lifetime of passion for learning through play.

“I love history and I love games,” he said. “I love showing students the ways you can use history to understand the world you live in.”

The two papers will be published in upcoming issues of Western Historical Quarterly and Simulation and Gaming.

(Eden Friesen is an English student intern in the College of Arts and Science communications office.

Thank You! Thank you to the residents from all over Saskatchewan who made a donation to support The GREATE.R. Campaign Radiothon presented by Suer & Pollon Mechanical! You helped raise over $240,000 to help equip and furnish Royal University Hospital’s new Adult E.R.!

We could not have done it without our presenting and matching sponsor, Suer & Pollon Mechanical, our grateful patients who took the time to share their stories, RUH Emergency physicians, nurses and staff who spoke with the media about the impact of a new E.R. on patient care, volunteers who answered the phones and graciously took donations, our volunteer past and present Board members who encouraged their communities to give, our media partners who helped spread our message and the staff at RUH who supported our event. Thank you!

You can still donate online at ruhf.org or call 306.655.1984.

Charitable BN: 11927 9131 RR0001