NOVEMBER 23 TO NOVEMBER 29, 2016
VOLUME 24 ISSUE 30
Seducing citrus since 1993
KEEPING CAMPUS SECURE pg. 10-12
bachelor of environmental science pg. 3
victory at the holiday table pg. 8
MEL GIBSON’S HACK-JOB RIDGE pg. 18
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
EDITORIAL
If you don’t plan to fail, you failed to plan Failure is a crucial part of life — and university. VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE
After waking up at 4:00 a.m. completely soaked and cold, I realized that my tent was not as waterproof as I thought it was. I had used it on rainy nights a few times, but the nearly monsoon-level storm that hit the Portland area this weekend was something that I wasn’t expecting, or prepared for. So at 4:00 a.m., with the rain still pelting down with no sign of an end, I packed my drenched gear into my car to find somewhere dry. As someone that travels somewhat frequently, I’ve learned that things can — and will — go wrong somewhat frequently and this weekend was no exception. I knew that there might be rain and I knew that it might get cold, but I didn’t expect to find myself awoken by a storm in the middle of the night, shaking my tent so much that it probably would have blown away if there weren’t a lake of water inside weighing it down. But for some reason, these mishaps never seem to bother me. Sure, it’s never fun getting lost or completely soaked, but it’s these situations that I remember the most — and seem to tell stories of the most — and I always somehow find a way out of them and make it home in one piece eventually. Out of all the things that my travels have taught me, the most important is probably that things will go wrong and sometimes there’s nothing you can do to stop it, it’s how you deal with it
that matters most. University isn’t that different. I still remember being a brighteyed first year student thinking that this was just another adventure to embark on and nothing would go wrong. I’d pass every class, get a high GPA, and somehow find a way to pay for it all on my own along the way — it can’t be that hard, right? But it is. Failing is just part of university. Failing assignments, quizzes, midterms, finals, and maybe even entire courses is just one
“Class, it’s time to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!” of those things that will probably happen at least once to every student at some point. But somehow, failing is still one of those things that we never talk about as students. We’re quick to complain to our peers about how hard our courses are and how we just can’t seem to keep up, but when the grades start coming in and they’re far from what we hoped they would be, we’re quiet. But it happens to everybody. The Globe and Mail reported that
by the time they hit their mid-20s, almost 25 per cent of Canadian students who were between 18 and 20 in 1999 had dropped out of a post-secondary institution. For most students, failing a class — or even just not doing as well as they thought they would — is discouraging enough to stop pursuing a degree and the Toronto Star reported that one in six first-year students don’t return for their second year. So if you’re still in university, despite the grades you’ve received so far, you’re ahead of the game. It’s learning from the failures that helps you the most (aside from actually studying and paying attention in class). Success is great, but figuring out how to keep going when success doesn’t happen is essential. So while I don’t think my less-than-perfect grades will make for dinner conversation with my family over the upcoming holidays, and I definitely won’t be telling my friends about that one time I totally bombed that midterm anytime soon, it’s just part of being a student — a part that we have to come to accept and learn how to move forward from. In the end, we all eventually get to walk across the stage and get a degree, 4.0 GPA or not. It’s the failures in life that we often remember the most, the trials by fire, the times where we can look back and see what we did wrong. So as Ms. Frizzle taught us back on that Magic School Bus, “Class, it’s time to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!”
News
Opinion
Culture
Arts
What is the Board of Governors?
Breaking through generational stereotypes
The Polly Fox Bakery
Fantastic Beasts
Making sense of the upper echelons of UFV.
From your seniors to students, how we can all get along.
Abbotsfords vegan, gluten free bakery is source of delicious treats for all.
Just go see it.
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STAFF
CONTRIBUTORS
Editor-in-Chief Vanessa Broadbent vanessa@ufvcascade.ca
Culture & Events Editor Jeff Mijo jeff@ufvcascade.ca
Multimedia Editor Martin Ranninger martin.r@ufvcascade.ca
Managing Editor Mitch Huttema mitch@ufvcascade.ca
Arts in Review Editor Martin Castro martin@ufvcascade.ca
Distributor Quintin Stamler quintin@ufvcascade.ca
Business Manager Jennifer Trithardt-Tufts jennifer@ufvcascade.ca
Production Manager Brittany Cardinal brittany@ufvcascade.ca
Researcher Trevor Johnson trevor@ufvcascade.ca
Copy Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca
Online Editor Tanya Vanpraseuth tanya@ufvcascade.ca
Staff Writers Emma Groeneveld emma@ufvcascade.ca
News Editor Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca
Features Editor Bradley Peters brad@ufvcascade.ca
Michael Chutskoff mike@ufvcascade.ca
Opinion Editor Panku Sharma panku@ufvcascade.ca
Illustrator Amara Gelaude amara@ufvcascade.ca
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Klara Chmelarova Rita Metwally Harvin Bhatal Josh De Silva WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA @UFVCASCADE Kayla BWD FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE Jasmit Chitrath INSTAGRAM.COM/THE.CASCADE Aman Bhardwaj Rebekah Brackett
Volume 24 · Issue 30 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 Front Cover Photo: Mitch Huttema
The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a print circulation of 1,250 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities. The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Writers meetings are held each Monday at 2:00 p.m. in The Cascade’s office on the Abbotsford campus. In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 400 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
NEWS
NEWS BRIEFS
UFV Senate approves two new bachelors degrees
Project manager hired for Pedagogy Investment Project Nicolle Bourget has joined the ITS department at UFV as the project manager responsible for the Pedagogy Investment Project. The Pedagogy Investment Project is a $1.5-million investment in teaching and learning at UFV. The purpose is to advance the use of innovative technology, facilities, and techniques in the classroom. Bourget was a member of UFV’s CIS program advisory board from 2005-2013 and a former student at UFV. Abbotsford and Mission won’t receive rental housing funding The province unveiled its $516-million rental housing program, but of the 68 projects in 38 different communities around B.C., none are in the central Fraser Valley. The project is being funded by Housing Priority Initiatives Fund to help renters in high-pressure rental markets; the province expects to create about 5,500 new jobs. Abbotsford had a 0.6 per cent rental vacancy last year, according to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation — Mission’s rental vacancy rate was 3.2 per cent. Despite the figures, Abbotsford and Mission will not receive funding. Queen’s university students host racist costume party A recent costume party involving offensive national costumes is raising eyebrows after undergraduate students from Queen’s University attended. The Globe and Mail reported that costumes included Middle Eastern sheiks, Viet Cong guerrillas, Buddhist monks, and Rastafarians. The university issues a statement noting that the event was not approved by the university. At this point, it is still unclear who organized the event.
Photo: UFV Flickr
JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR THE CASCADE
UFV Senate approved two new bachelor programs — a bachelor of environmental studies (BES) and bachelor of environmental studies in natural sciences. The programs will now await approval by the Ministry of Advanced Education and are expected to run in Fall 2017. The program was created to meet a growing demand for an environmental program that would look at strategies for environmental research and problem-solving locally and globally. “It is unique to our region, there’s no other program like it in the Fraser Valley,” said Eric Davis, provost and vice president, academic. Bachelor-level courses in environmental studies are common across North America but are typically offered within a bachelor of arts degree program. The BES and BES (natural sciences) degrees were created separately to
allow more flexibility in developing the natural sciences focus within the program. Within the province, environmental studies programs vary widely in areas of focus, specialization, and degree credentials. Currently, only three universities offer standalone degrees in environmental studies; all other environmental studies programs are offered as majors in a bachelors of arts or a bachelor of science program. “Because we’re in an agricultural region, environmental questions dealing with urban / rural relations, water quality, the impact of contaminants on fish and other wildlife, all of those issues are very pressing in the Valley,” said Davis. Both programs will have a strong interdisciplinary focus. BES (natural sciences) will involve a stronger focus on hard sciences requiring more classes in chemistry, GIS training, and several other low-level science classes than the non-natural sciences equivalent. The field of environmental studies is
naturally politically driven and often concerned with the allocation of resources as well as cultural relationships to the environment. Because of this, both courses strongly lean on social sciences and humanities for problemsolving. It will also help students to attain the methodological tools and conceptual approaches needed for a career in a related field. “It’s got a lot of applied field opportunities for students and it has a regional focus so students will be able to work on environmental issues in the Fraser Valley in particular,” said Davis. The program will also look to focus on the particular needs of the Fraser Valley. This may includes issues related to agriculture and food security, climate change, land use planning / GIS, and environmental communications. “It’s obviously a growth area,” said Davis. “The environment’s not going to disappear as a major public policy question and the jobs aren’t going to disappear either.”
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www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
NEWS
What is the Board of Governors? VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE
Questions and answers with Al Wiseman: What does the Board of Governors do? They ultimately are responsible for the success of the university and the direction it’s going, helping it, drive it forward, and to ensure the university is meeting its financial responsibilities. They handle things like risk management, approval of any sort of capital project that’s above a certain amount, the annual budgets. They’re really responsible to ensure the university runs the way it’s supposed to on a day-by-day, week-by-week, semester-bysemester experience. What’s your role? I’m the secretary. It’s kind of an archaic title really, but what that means is that I’m providing them with administrative and governance support and advice. They make all their rules, their bylaws, how they’re supposed to run, but they don’t know them really well, so I’m always there, I’m at all their meetings, I remind them of what their rules tell them they should be doing. I help them interpret them and I help when I see things that I think are problems with their bylaws and make suggestions for fixing them. Why is the Board of Governors important? They are ultimately the ones responsible to ensure the university’s success. If they’re not doing a good job of paying attention to what’s going on in the university, if the university starts having financial difficulties, that’s ultimately on the Board. If the university is having trouble keeping students happy, whether it’s about fees or what’s happening in the classroom, or if they feel like not enough services are provided for
them, that falls on the Board. I think they’re really important from that perspective. What is the role of the elected student members? They’re elected every year. They get a oneyear term. They have the absolute same responsibilities and expectations as any other board member. They serve on the Board’s committees and they come to all the board meetings, they vote on every motion, they are free to speak on any issue, and they could bring an issue to the Board if they wanted to. They’re really an equal participant in the governing process and one of 15 voices, one of 15 votes, one of 15 people responsible to say, “What are we going to do here that’s in the best interest of the university?” According to the Universities Act, UFV must have the following positions on its Board of Governors: • The chancellor • The president • 2 faculty members elected by the faculty members • 8 persons appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council, 2 of whom are to be appointed from among persons nominated by the alumni association • 2 students elected from students who are members of an undergraduate student society or graduate student society • One person elected by and from the employees of the university who are not faculty members Board sub-committees: • Board executive committee plans and coordinates the presidential search
Photo: UFV Flickr
process; sets goals and objectives for the president and deals with any compensation issues; they review the performance of the president; ensures effective government relations; they also approve membership of the university’s bargaining team, the Collective Bargaining Principles and Priorities, and the Collective agreement. • Board finance & audit committee monitors the university’s significant financial planning, management, and reporting matters, makes recommendations and delivers reports to the Board of Governors • Board governance committee provides a focus on governance to enhance the university’s performance • Board nominating committee is responsible for identifying qualified candidates who may be appointed to the Board. They also inform potential
candidates (both appointed and elected) of the responsibilities of Board members. Some things BOG does: • Selects, evaluates, compensates, and supports the president • Along with Senate, monitors and reviews UFV’s vision and mission • Approves and monitors UFV’s strategic directions, goals, and plans • Establishes board leadership, codes of conduct, committees, ongoing education, evaluation, succession planning, and a criterion-based nomination process • Provides for the appointment of staff, faculty, and senior officials to the university • Approves and monitors UFV’s annual operating and capital budgets • Protects the reputation and assets of the university
Stories worth paying attention to #StandingRock
#PaytoPlay
#TentCities
Twenty-one-year-old Sophia Wilansky was severely injured and may lose her arm after being hit by a “less-than-lethal” projectile thrown by “law enforcement officers.” Wilansky is one of thousands of protesters at the Standing Rock Sioux reservation in North Dakota who have attempted to put a halt to construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). The protesters have been met by “militarized force” and hundreds have been arrested. Officers turned a water cannon on protesters as well as “less-than-lethal” weapons. Twentysix protesters were taken to hospital and more than 300 were injured.
On Tuesday, the Globe and Mail reported on a “cash-for-access” fundraiser involving Justin Trudeau. The fundraiser reportedly breaks Liberal party guidelines as well as ethical rules laid down by Justin Trudeau after he took office. “Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was the top draw at a $1,500 Liberal party cash-for-access fundraiser at the mansion of a wealthy ChineseCanadian business executive in May. One of the guests at the event was a well-heeled donor who was seeking Ottawa’s final approval to begin operating a new bank aimed at Canada’s Chinese community,” reported the Globe and Mail. Shortly after the meeting, another of the party attendees with a partner donated $1 million to the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation and the University of Montreal Faculty of Law. The Toronto Sun writes that this is a scandal that mirrors the Clinton Foundation’s acceptance of large amounts of foreign money.
Independent, online news magazine, The Tyee, recently launched a new series on homelessness in British Columbia. The second edition of the six-month series looks youth homelessness. Canada’s first ever national study on youth homelessness finds that the numbers are greater than previously thought. For this series, The Tyee has partnered with Megaphone, a monthly magazine sold by homeless and low-income vendors on the streets of Vancouver and Victoria. The series will be an in-depth investigative collaboration reported by Stefania Seccia of Megaphone, and edited by Tyee Solutions’ Chris Wood.
Dakota Access pipeline protester ‘may lose her arm’ after police standoff
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Trudeau attended cash-for-access fundraiser with Chinese billionaires
Homeless Youth Are Even Younger than You Thought
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
www.ufvcascade.ca
STUDY BREAK Crossword Across 1: A lengthy poem, or a slang term for something pretty cool 3: To speak without prior preparation 5: Taiwan’s capital city 8: Stuck up, condescending, and posh 10: Nintendo’s second most famous brother 11: Freshwater variety of fish
Down 1: To alter something, such as a submission to an excellent student newspaper 2: The grounds of a university 4: A short, snappy summary 6: Key part of a blacksmith’s equipment 7: Descriptor for something unique and instantly recognizable 9: A cry of pain, or a website that helps users avoid the pain of bad food
SPORTS
UPCOMING GAMES Men’s basketball Friday, Nov 25 8:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UNBC Timberwolves (home) Saturday, Nov 26 7:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UNBC Timberwolves (home) Women’s basketball Friday, Nov 25 6:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UNBC Timberwolves (home) Saturday, Nov 26 5:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. UNBC Timberwolves (home) Men’s volleyball Saturday, Nov 26 7:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. COTR Avalanche (home)
Made by Jeff Mijo
Horoscopes
Astrological mysteries interpreted by Master Moji
Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 It’s a good week to make major decisions! But not about school, finances, relationships, work, or D&D character names. Definitely not those. Other than that, go for it!
Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 So here’s the deal. A lot of people really care about you, and your health is very important to them. So please, just remember to drink enough water throughout the day, okay? Do it for them.
Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 You’re an all-star. Get your game on! Go, play. You’re a rock star. Get the show on, get paid!
Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 A band from your childhood will release a new album unexpectedly this week. Recapture the magic by asking your mom to drive you to the store to buy a CD.
Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 Turn your speakers down. At some point in the next 40 hours, a website you visit will have a deafening, auto-playing ad for a product you hate. Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 It’s time to give up and just let your cat on the keyboard. It has something profound to say.
Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 Watch out! Some inanimate and / or intangible objects are far, far less lickable than others. Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 The icy embrace of winter draws ever nearer, its chill malevolence a pale harbinger of the cataclysmic blizzards that will descend from the heavens like a plague, intent on emotionlessly laying waste to any sense of normality or routine and leaving memories of the sun — of warmth — a distant, fleeting yearning through the long dark that will engulf our land. So check your antifreeze!
Sunday, Nov 27 1:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. COTR Avalanche (home) Women’s volleyball Saturday, Nov 26 5:00 p.m. UFV Cascades vs. COTR Avalanche (home) Sunday, Nov 27 11:00 a.m. UFV Cascades vs. COTR Avalanche (home)
Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 Who makes the best food at The Cascade? The editor-in-chef! (Haha, but seriously guys, just because I have the power to read the cosmos doesn’t mean you have to look at me weird and never invite me to the parties.) Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 Let’s be honest, you’re not going to take those Halloween decorations down. Might as well throw a Santa hat on the skulls and call it festive. Or social commentary. Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 The positioning of Jupiter means that next week’s horoscopes are going to be even better. For a start, there won’t be any cop-outs like this! Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 This week, be extra cautious submitting work. Are you sure you didn’t just write the word “poop” a thousand times and think you were making coherent sentences? Double-check. Actually, be safe. Octuple-check.
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www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
OPINION Breaking through the generational stereotypes KAYLA BWD CONTRIBUTOR
Stereotypes are broad generalizations of groups of people based on traits they may or may not have control over. A common one you might have encountered is age. I’m not just talking about the tired fights over music or art, I’m referring instead to the sweeping statements that all the youth today are sensitive, smoothiedrinking hippies in yoga pants, or that all elderly folks are judgmental, stingy conservatives with walkers. These kinds of stereotypes, despite being preposterous, cause friction and division within our society. In order for our society to function more productively, generations must learn from each other and work cohesively. There must be a balance between fresh ideas and wisdom, between change and stability. There’s a web of misinformed speculation that is blocking the path to clear communication. So let me break down that wall and clarify a few things. Post World War II saw a boom in births between 1946 and 1964. This generation is called “baby boomers,” and these are the folks that, in 2016, are between 52 and 70 years old. Baby boomers are the tough people that grew up during the Korean and Vietnam Wars and survived polio, but they also had The Beatles and Jaguar XK120 so it wasn’t all bad. Younger generations see baby boomers as less self-aware and more traditional, yet also greatly admire and respect how hardworking and dedicated to their children baby boomers are. They are also seen as pioneers that paved the way for the freedoms and rights that we enjoy today. Moving on to the next generation, born between 1965 and 1979, is Generation X. This makes them 37 to 51 years old today. This is
the amazing generation that got to witness man venturing into space, the disco era, and The Godfather. But this generation is most known for the change in how people thought. Protesting and activism became the norm. People were no longer OK with sitting by and accepting the status quo. They were rebels who fought to change laws and earn equal rights that made generations today able to enjoy more freedoms and inclusivity than ever before. Millennials tend to recognize the importance of steps the activist baby boomers of the time and their Gen X children made. Gen X taught them how to challenge static thinking, something they are very appreciative for, and provided them with many luxuries and advancements. Again, this is contrary to how the older generation thought the younger generation perceived them. Gen X often thinks that millennials see them as less educated, not as tech savvy, nor open-minded. Surprisingly, the younger generation often reports not always knowing more about technology than their parents. I suppose we all are lost with the amount of updates constantly being thrown at us. Technology is moving so fast even the kids raised on it can’t keep up! Which brings us to our final generation, the “millennials,” or Generation Y. Nope, the Y does not stand for yoga pants. It represents the people born between 1980 and 1994, who are now 22 to 36 years old. The assumption is that the older generations see millennials as lazy, incompetent, and financially irresponsible. Our love affair with technology and sharing our personal lives also sometimes earns us the nickname “Generation Me.” The older generations view millennials as more environmentally conscience, tech savvy, and resourceful. In fact, baby boomers and Gen
Illustrations: Rebekah Brackett
X-ers both acknowledge that Generation Y is more socially accepting of diversity and more creative at finding jobs that are sustainable in this economy. So you see how important it is for us to open communication between the generations. Without conversation, how are the baby boomers able to express what they need to be supported in retirement, or Gen Y able to express that more jobs are needed for them to survive? Each generation thinks the other generations perceives them in a negative light
when really there is a lot of positivity. The mutual respect is already there, it’s just not being expressed. Communication could break through the stereotypes and help us realize that each generation has something to contribute. We’re going to have to work together if we want this planet to sustain the next generations. It is my hope that we learn to do this now to be better equipped to guide Generation Z when they come of age. Maybe by then we’ll be known as the Generation YOU: Young and Old United.
sort, people inevitably get defensive if we characterize them as racist. While some of that can’t be helped, I do think the stress of “call out culture” is hurting more than it helps. You see, it feels good to call someone out for being shitty; not only does it for that short moment stop whatever shitty thing is happening, but it also lets everyone around you know that you are super woke and down with the movement. It’s useful in de-normalizing racism and getting people aware of the issue, but when it’s our only tool of discourse not only does it lose its edge (as it’s used in increasingly petty ways), but it becomes the instinctual response rather than a reasoned one. It’s easier to shame then it is to explain. Yet once it happens, where does it leave the person being called out? I’m not saying it’s anyone’s job to coddle or educate, all I’m saying that if any part of you wants to kick the ball further down the field it’ll require the cooperation of some people
you might not want to associate with. It might not end up being the person you talk to, but there is a fair chance if you try and have a real conversation — one where they can see you as a person and you them — we might start developing some of that empathy and trust that we need going forward. A recently published study by David Broockman and Joshua Kalla titled “Durably reducing transphobia: A field experiment on door-to-door canvassing” is among many that highlight the effectiveness of conversation and trust building in bridging gaps. Who are we building these bridges to? Not the white nationalists too far gone, but the folk who are facing hard times and find immigrants an easy scapegoat. Not Steve Bannon, put possibly Joe the plumber. When do we do this? Whenever you have the time. Talk to someone who’s different from yourself, share each other’s lived experiences. Or don’t, living in a bubble can be fun too.
Calling out call outs PANKU SHARMA THE CASCADE
As I say every day of my life, labels (other than the ones for ingredients) are an annoying reality of politics and social discourse. We’re all a party of one when you get down to it, with our own problematic or individual views that don’t align with the movements we follow or the company we keep. I want campus’ to be welcoming and safe for everyone who wants an opportunity to learn. The loosely defined study of “identity politics” or “intersectionality,” which look at the contexts of race, orientation, gender, and whatever else makes a person who they are, has done great things in making sure the people who don’t conform to the majority have their needs met and are able to contribute to what makes this place a centre of learning. Yet at the same time there has been backlash, not all of it unwarranted, that accuses that social
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movement of stifling discussion and debate. Much like the hit ‘90s single by Hoobastank, none of us are perfect. I’ve gone on the record as being in favour of people using whatever language or vulgarity they need to get their voice heard. Protest is important. But the tools that we use to punch up against a broken or uncaring system aren’t the most effective when we use them against other people. We’ll use racism as an example, and use the straightforward definition of it being like prejudice (unconscious or not) instead of systemic or institutional racism. Racism is messed up, and in a Western context most reasonable people in this age would say treatment in the past of minorities was wrong. Yet the belief that things have been fixed is so ingrained that people are unaware that racism has just become less blatant and is still an issue for people of colour. (I hate that phrase.) So when we talk about racism of the less obvious
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
www.ufvcascade.ca
OPINION
SNAPSH
TS
Curtailed commentary on current conditions
Jingle bell hell Kayla BWD
Lust for oranges Joel Robertson-Taylor
Tis the season I abhor. November 12, the day after Remembrance Day, unofficially marks the beginning of the Christmas season. Malls are full, decorations are out, and chocolate is appearing everywhere. Although there are a few things I do enjoy about the holiday, namely the food and candy canes, there’s one part I absolutely cannot stand: Christmas music. It is the most repetitive, nauseating, and excruciatingly catchy genre of music. For over a month it plays in every store on every station and overtakes the internet. And then there’s always that one family member who has every Christmas album Michael Bublé has released and plays them on repeat in their house. The horror has already begun as a classmate started humming a familiar Christmas carol today! The fact that the songs are inescapable and we know every line makes it that much worse. I always catch myself singing along and bopping my head every time I hear Jingle Bell Rock. Since it’s unavoidable, I will just have to suffer until December 26. I’m already counting down the days till I can escape this jingle hell.
No greater disappointment has ever been felt than in the shattered expectations of a delicious mandarin orange turning out to be a mildly bitter, flavourless letdown. Such is the uncertainty of choosing an orange, but it won’t stop me from having another. When undressing a mandarin, gently, so her gown slips off in one piece, one fantasizes of a tangy delight, an experience so divine that the fantasy itself urges the tongue to tingle in anticipation. Awaiting its mistress, the mouth salivates — out of instinct, and out of respect. The orange itself is ready, she offers a few slices at a time, so as to not overwhelm the moment. The orange — so delicate, so juicy — yet entirely deceiving. Then, at the climax of the experience, it falls short in every way to please. The orange, it has no life, no passion, no devotion. So many oranges to have chosen from, a full box and I haphazardly grabbed the worst orange in the history of tiny oranges. What went wrong? So I go for another, expecting it to be everything I hoped for in the first, and again — bitter and unsophisticated. I loathe the misgivings of imported boxed fruit. Is there no sanctity in citrus?
Speed dates test fate Michael Chutskoff
Don’t be a grump or a scrooge-like lump! Emma Groenveld
When I think of conventions, I think of cosplay, celebrities, unique collectibles, and lots of artwork. The last thing I would expect at a con is speed dating, and yet this service was heavily advertised and ran every day of the Fan Expo weekend. The organizer’s reasoning behind their work is that everyone deserves to find love, and that they provide a forum for the “socially inept” to have common ground when meeting people. While I can respect their reasoning behind why they want to do it, I can’t understand why a convention needs to be a place for finding a romantic partner. There is so much to do at cons, and what happens if you like someone and they say no to you? Fan Expo is small, so chances are you will awkwardly encounter them again. Society seems to think that you are nothing unless you have that perfect partner, and its influences have reached the nerd realm. So to all my fellow nerds, go and enjoy all your conventions, and don’t worry yourself about being single. Joining something that seems artificial and forced isn’t the most fun, so just sit back, enjoy life, and that special one will meet you sooner than you think.
I love Christmas. I love every little thing about it, from the brightly lit stores to the smiles on everyone’s faces, and the holiday cheer in the air. November has been adopted as the preChristmas month, with Starbucks’ Christmas drinks in everyone’s hands and Christmas trees on every shopping corner. This fills my little heart with glee, as my surroundings look like a magical wonderland of happiness and bright lights and FOOD. However, many do not share my love of Christmas in November, and constantly like to remind me that there are only 12 days of Christmas and to calm down. Bitch, no. You get out of my Christmas wonderland. I am living out my favourite time of the year so don’t dampen my dreams with your Grinchlike moping about how it’s too Christmas-y for you. While some people just don’t celebrate the holiday, which I respect, the people that do but hate it need to hop into Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol” and “ba-humbug” about the holidays with angry ol’ Ebenezer Scrooge. Christmas is full of really good times with friends and family, and people who don’t want those sooner are very odd to me indeed.
Illustrations: Amara Gelaude
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
OPINION How to claim victory at the holiday dinner table JOSHUA DE SILVA CONTRIBUTOR
You’re at the dinner table with your [insert political ideology here] family, and the discussion moves to a subject that you vehemently disagree on. Do you stay silent, hoping they won’t prod you for further discussion, risking the chance of a silent Christmas dinner, or do you speak up and make your voice heard? This is something that goes on in my daily life, and I think it’s important to give everyone the tools to win debates, and watch for tactics that can demonize you forever. First, determine if you have an audience. If you do not, you can skip this entirely. If you do, the point now is not to debate your opposition, because they will be less likely to change their minds in front of spectators, but instead focus on convincing the observers of your argument, while tearing down your opposition (and look better doing it). Philosophers have been doing it for centuries. For example, consider body language; it can sway an observer’s opinion more than you would think. Audiences read into how you present yourself, be wary of hunching over the table with clenched hands or looking angry. Keep calm and have open hands, or at most casually use a chicken leg as a disarming prop. Second, determine if your opposition is willing to debate in a gentle fashion. If you know your uncle is only going to commit ad hominem attacks until the cows come home, don’t bother engaging except under these conditions: you have an audience who will sympathize and you’re willing to frame your opponent as unreasonable before diving into the debate. Frame the debate. Opponents will create nonsensical premises that are not about the arguments you make, but they will make you look like you’re on the defensive. If I was a
Republican five years ago during the samesex marriage debate, there would be a lot of framing to do. I would have to explain that, on the subject of same sex marriage, the question is not how same-sex marriage affects my marriage. The question is not whether two people who love each other should be given state sanction. The question is why marriage should be redefined, and how same-sex marriage will strengthen the institution. And there I have reframed the debate to capture one’s arguments against institutionalized same-sex marriage. With this framing, I have still opened up the possibility of arguing that I am for same-sex marriage, but I am against the policies that permit a government to hand out licenses. I have also made my argument look more complex than the stereotypical “it’s icky.” Do not get distracted. This involves making sure you’re not being led down some rabbit hole just to end up on the other side of the world, wondering how you started by arguing against redistribution of wealth, and ended up arguing whether or not Harry Truman was a war criminal for bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is not as obvious as you may believe. Suppose I go to gun control as a Republican, and my opponent suddenly mentions that, because I am against ammunition purchasing limits, then I must be against Sudafed (cold medicine) purchasing limits, or else I would be a hypocrite. What the hell do these things have to do with each other? In any case, do not go down this rabbit hole, and the proper response to any sort of diversion from the main point requires a Rick Roll, because that’s how much relevance Sudafed has to gun regulation. If there is no necessary relationship, tell the opponent to move on. You don’t have to defend people. Again, back to gun regulation as a Republican, I am against gun control, but Ronald Reagan was for an automatic weapons ban. So what? Reagan wasn’t a god, and he would have
Illustrations: Rebekah Brackett
been the first person to admit it. You are an individual human being, and you have your own values and principles to follow. You don’t blindly follow people, you follow principle, and that’s what separates you from the lemmings falling over the cliff. Admit when you don’t know something. This should be self-explanatory, but if you don’t follow this rule, you look like an ass when trying to bullshit your way through a complex topic. You don’t have to know everything, and your opponent is bound to know something you don’t. Finally, let the other side have meaningless victories. I would call this telling them that they’re right sometimes, but it’s more complex than that. I present two scenarios, both with a Republican protagonist. First, you say “Bad people shouldn’t have guns.” Well, who are bad people? What is bad? Like a bad cold, or a bad day? The correct response, rather than to define the word bad, is to admit that the language is too vague, and use something else. In this case, I might use “irresponsible.” This is useful because
it will make the other side feel like they are closer to victory without actually having won anything. In another event, someone engages me on immigration reform, and says they are for it. Great, I am for that too! Now, how do they define immigration reform? This is useful in a debate with an audience because it does not make you look like a naysayer right off the bat. In this case, immigration reform can mean anything, from building a wall and moat, complete with a drawbridge, or granting blanket amnesty. Beyond these rules, you should always, and I mean ALWAYS, know your positions, the arguments, and how to support them with evidence and reason. After you have worked that out, get to know your opponent’s position better than your own. That way, nothing can surprise you, and you will always have a response ready. Now go out there, and make the holidays great again with your genius policies!
THE CASCADE IS LOOKING FOR A BUSINESS MANAGER Business Manager Contract Rate of pay: $300per issue One Year Term The Business Manager is responsible for the financial management of The Cascade. The Business Manager works closely with the Cascade Journalism Society’s treasurer to ensure The Cascade’s budget is adhered to. The Business Manager also manages the Cascade’s local ad portfolio. Responsibilities • File payroll according to the Production & Pay Schedule. • Be the liaison between advertising partners and the paper. • Work to sell a minimum of $300 of local advertising per issue. • Responsible for all accounts payable and receivable.
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• Develop and maintain a system to attract, and track, the stages of advertisers from potential to clients. • Produce the society’s annual budget in conjunction with the Editor-in- Chief and the Cascade Journalism Society’s treasurer.` • Ensure that the annual budget is adhered to, and/ or necessarily adjusted upon approval of the
1. Must be a member in good standing of the Cascade Journalism Society. 2. Must be registered in at least one credit course during the fall/winter semesters. 3. Must be available to work varying hours.
• Board of Directors.
4. Must be available to be present in the office for at least 12 hours per week, especially Friday afternoons.
• Produce monthly reports for the Board of Directors.
5. Must be able to deal effectively with Society and university staff, students and the general public.
• Oversee distribution and work in conjunction with the distributor to explore off-campus distribution sites.
6. Administrative experience is an asset.
• Organize fundraising and promotional events when necessary with support the Managing Editor and/or the Editor-in- Chief. Qualifications
7. Basic literacy is required. To apply for the position, email a resume and cover letter to mitch@ufvcascade.ca by Dec. 2.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
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CULTURE & EVENTS v CREATIVE WRITING
The Doves RITA METWALLY
CONTRIBUTOR
I have always been fascinated with those unlike myself, and Cyprian Saunders was the antithesis of me. I did not see much of Cyprian on a daily basis due to my family’s wealth and status; we did not frequently mingle with those below our class. There was nothing much to my fascination with him; he was simply something interesting and foreign to gaze upon. One fall evening, I was riding my horse far through one of my pastures when I noticed the sky had darkened alarmingly. I could sense a storm was brewing, but before I had even made it halfway back to the barn, the sky had begun to weep. A deep, throaty voice suddenly erupted from behind me. “Get off.” I shrieked and looked over my shoulder to see Cyprian walking hurriedly behind me. “Cyprian Saunders?” I gasped. “Hush! Don’t spook your horse!” Cyprian hissed. “Get off, I said!” I insentiently obeyed and watched as he mounted the animal soon after I’d set foot on the muddy ground. “Get home,” he then ordered. “You should not be out in this wretched storm.” I did not have time to ask him any questions before he was trotting away on my horse. I followed his instructions and retreated back to my house, waiting underneath the awning. It was about half an hour later when he rounded the corner towards my abode. He seemed annoyed to see me outside. “For Christ’s sake, woman!” he exclaimed, looking me up and down as he approached. “Get inside, will
you? You’re bound to catch a cold like this!” I ignored his brash remarks. “My name is Margo,” I informed him — being referred to as ‘woman’ irked me. “Why were you in our pasture?” I then questioned, trying to keep my voice even against my shivers. He rolled his eyes. “I’ve been cutting across your pastures for years now to shorten my travels from the west side of town to the east,” Cyprian explained. “It’s much quicker than going according to the roads.” I widened my eyes. “You’ve been trespassing all this time?” He shrugged. “Your family has never caught me, so why should I stop?” He grew a little cross. “Haven’t you enough over me, anyways? Letting me borrow the earth for my feet should not concern you, if you ask me.” He studied me once more, up and down. “I told you to get inside.” I did not respond right away. “I suppose you’ll come in with me?” Cyprian frowned. “This is not my home.” “Yes. But you’re far away from home now, and this storm will last a while. You should remain warm and dry. It’s the least I can offer,” I said curtly, crossing my arms. “Haven’t I enough over you, anyways?” His icy blue eyes narrowed as they darted over my face. “You’re a peculiar woman, Margo,” he replied, but he followed me inside. I brought Cyprian to my parents and siblings, explaining the events that had occurred. I could sense my family did not want to come off as uninviting due to moral conscience, but they were definitely not as welcoming as they could have been had my guest been one from a similar walk of life. The evening turned into night,
and still the storm raged. I offered Cyprian the guest room if he preferred to spend the night. He paused for a moment, and then accepted. As we made our way upstairs, Cyprian caught sight of our large aviary. It contained two pure white doves my father had acquired from an old friend. Cyprian scoffed. “Incredible that you people don’t see the irony in keeping birds of peace in the least peaceful of all habitations,” he rambled. I was stunned and perplexed. “Whatever do you mean? The doves are safe and at peace with us.” “They are trapped in a cage, Margo!” he snapped. “They are not at peace. They are restless for freedom; they’re meant to fly! True peace for birds is in the sky.” “Have you seen the sky tonight?” I countered. “It is far from peaceful. They would certainly die if we released them.” “Ah, yes, the freedom to die,” Cyprian susurrated. “Something humans will never cease endeavouring to deny.” Cyprian disappeared into the guest room without another word. He had already departed when I awoke the next morning. My father was especially adamant that he never return. I spent a long while after our encounter pondering the bizarreness of it. I realized soon enough that I was enamoured with the intrigue he set upon me. Every time I looked at the doves, I thought of him. And so, a few days later, I found his address in the phone book, hopped on my horse, and rode to his abode. I told my parents I was going to the bookstore. He was wide-eyed when he opened the creaky, worn door. “Whatever are you doing here,
Margo?” he inquired brusquely. I gave him a charming smile. “I’ve come to learn more about Cyprian Saunders.” He blinked, then grew cold. “There is no special story here, miss.” “I am an avid reader, and not once in my journey of literature have I come across a character that did not have a special story of their own,” I countered boldly. Cyprian rolled his eyes. “This is reality. Not a work of fiction.” “And I have learned that fiction is based on different perceptions of reality,” I declared. “I would like to know more about yours.” He studied me with squinted eyes for a moment, and then he parted the door wide enough so that I could enter. I listened to Cyprian for several hours. When I finally made for the door, he seemed a little hesitant to let me go. I assured him it would not be the last time we spoke so deeply. It was not. We spent many secret afternoons together, and the following spring, he presented me with a ring on one knee. I accepted. On the night before I was to elope with Cyprian, I wrote my family an extensive note explaining that I’d left to marry the man I loved. I was going to leave it on the kitchen table, but as I exited my room on tiptoe, I caught sight of the aviary. I left the letter pinned to the open and empty cage, and as I secretly met my lover outside my front porch to make our escape, I set the two doves free.
Advocates for Palestine to speak at UFV for UN Day of Solidarity HARVIN BHATHAL CONTRIBUTOR
The Israel-Palestine conflict has been raging on for decades, and it remains one of world’s “hidden” conflicts for a multitude of reasons. However, for one day it is given the spotlight. November 29 is the UN Day of Solidarity with Palestinians. This year is the 39th anniversary of the annual observance, which recognizes the hardships Palestinians had to suffer and still do to this day. The UN Day of Solidarity with Palestinians marks “136 countries [recognizing] the State of Palestine, and its flag flies at the United Nations next to those of all Member States,” stated former Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki-moon. To commemorate the state of Palestine, the University of the Fraser Valley is hosting a conference on November 26, 2016 in the auditorium (B101) that is running from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Ron Dart, a political science instructor at UFV who is actively involved in bringing light to the Israel-Palestine conflict, is
helping organize the event. “Since 1948, millions of Palestinians have been forcibly disposed and denied fundamental human rights that we in Canada take for granted,” he said. “Today, millions live under harsh Israeli military occupation. This conference is a chance for Canadians of conscience to learn more about the situation, listen to the stories of Palestinians, and explore how to work for justice and peace.” The keynote speakers of the conference will be human rights activists Cindy and Craig Corrie. Their story is one of incredible tragedy, as their daughter Rachel Corrie was crushed to death in 2003 by an Israeli military bulldozer as she tried to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home in Gaza. Her passing served as motivation for the Corries to established the Rachel Corrie Peace and Justice Foundation, which supports peace and justice initiatives all around the world, but in particular the Israel-Palestine conflict. The family is an active proponent of bringing awareness to the conflict, and they are currently leading an interfaith delegation in the West Bank and Gaza.
The Corries will elaborate on their daughter’s story, their own experiences in connection with the people of Palestine, and how paramount it is that the human rights of Palestinians be advocated for. Additional speakers of the conference will include members of British Columbia’s Palestinian community, a representative of Independent Jewish Voices, and local advocates for Palestinian rights. From Palestinians speaking at the conference, attendees will gain a personal view of the conflict. Apart from the Rachel Corrie Foundation, additional sponsors of the conference include Canadian Friends of Sabeel, Independent Jewish Voices Vancouver, United Network for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, and Canada Talks Israel Palestine. To learn more about the Israel-Palestine conflict, make sure to attend the conference on November 26, 2016. Whether you attend for a couple hours or the entire six hours, you will not regret it.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
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It’s safe to say we’re safe.
UFV’s security and a few of the people that make it happen. WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY: MITCH HUTTEMA DESIGN BY: BRITTANY CARDINAL
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pending countless hours walking around campus is what every student tries to avoid doing, but for security guards this is exactly what their jobs entail. Recently, UFV changed their security provider and with the change in contract the best guards from the previous provider were offered positions at the new company, allowing them to stay on at UFV. Virpal and Heath (we’ve omitted all last names in this article for the sake of privacy) were two guards that stayed despite the change. Now, the toughest part about writing about security is that most of the info I’d like to know is confidential. How do you talk about privacy publicly without compromising it? It turns out, the best way to keep things secure is to simply keep them private. Nathan, the “captain” so to speak, of the security team at UFV allowed me to shadow him, Heath and Virpal for a few hours one soggy November evening and ask as many questions I could while he answered all the ones he was permitted to. “I need to speak in enough generalities that nothing will be interesting,” he said with a slight grin and a hint of sarcasm when I asked him to outline the most crucial part of the job when I met him in the temporary security office in D104. “The most important thing for us is to know what’s going on,” he said. “After hours we are first aid, we’re security, we’re facilities, we’re more or less the only kind of campus management that’s on site.” When all the students and staff go home, security is still around dealing with any and all situations that might arise. The guards use what is called a “redundant communication system” in order to make sure that whatever knowledge needs to
be communicated to the team on campus is sent to multiple places, ensuring that information reaches its destination even if the power or phone lines go out. A central information system is used by all of the guards that appears on their phones and computers. Each of the guards carry a phone that is linked into the main security database. When they start their shifts they read through all the relevant notices and then acknowledge to the system that they have read it. This enables everyone on patrol to see who is caught up with current conditions. Between part- and full-time guards at UFV, there are around 24 guards that are on staff. As Securiguard is a private firm on contract with UFV and is also one of the largest security service providers in the region, they also have the ability to respond with a large number of other security staff in the event of a catastrophic event. I found this comforting in light of the fact school campuses have a history of violent and complicated incidents: to know that UFV has the ability to call in reinforcements to handle large scale situations is a relief. “One of the reasons people contract out security, it’s not to be cheap, you want there to be a bit of a line. We get treated well, we have relationships with everybody but there needs to be a line between us. Theoretically, we may need to enforce campus policies on the people that are making them,” Nathan told me as we talked about the contract with UFV. “One of the reasons that you go to a contractor is it’s easy to maintain that line.” Another benefit of having an outside firm is hourly check-ins. Virpal was around while Nathan and I were chatting, and when she is on shift she’s responsible for calling the Securiguard head office in Vancouver to update them on the state of things at UFV as is their policy.
PHONES USED BY SECURITY TO RECEIVE ALERTS ARE NEARLY INDESTRUCTIBLE.
As we were discussing contact with head office, a call came in. Mandatory privacy around the call itself ensued, but I was allowed to tag along with Virpal as she went off to deal with it. A professor had locked themselves out of their office. “Does this happen often?” I asked. She just smiled at me and gave me a knowing look, this time I was pretty sure I knew the reason for not answering was not due to privacy reasons. Virpal has been at UFV for two years and has been in every single room on campus. I thought about my own explorations of campus and acknowledge I’ve probably only been into 25 per cent of the rooms. As we headed back from the locked-out prof ’s office it struck me that the guards must do plenty of walking. “For me, it’s average 25-30 km,” said Virpal when I asked. “That’s why I bought a fitbit. I just want to see how much I walked. It depends on the shift too. If you get a first aid call or something then you are not walking that much.” We arrived back at the temporary security office and Nathan joined us as we continued on around into B building. You may know that the office and first aid room has long been in the side entrance to B building on the corner behind the cafeteria. It has been undergoing renovations for the past while with a projected finish date of February 2017. Many times over the past four years at UFV I have walked past the doorway of the office and seen the guards eating their lunches through the doorway and felt weird about interrupting. Nathan noted how students as well as faculty who come to ask for help from security in that small closed-in office would often open with “Sorry for bothering you, but …” This renovation will change that. With windows and a reception-style desk, the days
NATHAN AND VIRPAL WALKED ME THROUGH “SAFARI” OUT BACK OF UFV’S ABBOTSFORD CAMPUS.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: NATHAN, HEATH AND VIRPAL REMOVE THE BOLLARDS BEHIND THE SUB.
”THE WHOLE REASON WE’RE HERE IS TO HELP PEOPLE WHO NEED HELP“
of interrupting lunches or not being sure if you should approach are soon to be over. “Mike always talks about how he wants people running to us not from us and I think that our office makes a big difference,” Nathan commented regarding Mike Twolan, the manager of the security team. “We are literally stuck in a corner with no windows, so people feel less comfortable coming over, they feel like they’re bothering us, they feel like we’re just trying to hide in there. Whereas putting us behind a window makes us a little more welcoming.” By this point we had meandered past the office, through the library, and were responding to a call nearby to remove the bollards from the entrance to the roadway between the SUB and the Envision Athletic Centre. Students were setting up an event in one of the gymnasiums and needed to back the delivery truck right up to the door. We met up with Heath near the SUB and I watched as they pulled out the poles and ushered the U-Haul in. Heath has been at UFV for nearly five years, making him and Virpal the two longest-running, most UFVknowledgeable guards on campus. “Wanna go on Safari with us?” Nathan asked Heath. “No, you go ahead.” What on Earth is ‘Safari?’” I asked, confused by the jargon and general mystery. No answers — I simply assumed that Nathan preferred a show-not-tell teaching method in this instance. We made our way towards the back of campus and crossed the parking lot behind the SUB. Proceeding into the clearing that borders the farmer’s fields behind campus Nathan suddenly turned right, off into the woods. “This is Safari,” he said as we wandered down the stunning tree-wrapped path through the woods. I had no idea this was here. “When the weather is nicer, we’ll run into students on the grass back here and then I think biology classes come back here,” Nathan said. “They are allowed to, but we want to come out here and make sure everything is still safe. It’s a very nice spot to camp out.” I sensed that he may have been referring to events
that could occur given the factors of a large homeless population of Abbotsford, and how excellent this secluded this area would be to camp in. When we returned from Safari I noted the blue security pole behind C building. Nathan had told me earlier of how the Security Operations Centre (SOC) was based out of Chilliwack, basically the nerve centre of all security operations across all campuses. All calls to security are fed through this centre which is staffed 24 / 7 and then the operators there contact the guards on each campus relevant to the call. All calls to the centre are recorded and filed away for future reference. “We have those blue towers there in case you don’t have a phone. You can call us from that phone that directs to the same system,” said Virpal in reference to the SOC. “That goes straight to the op center and they can see you,” Nathan added as I noted the camera embedded into the centre of the pole. As we rounded out our lap of campus I had a final question for both Nathan and Virpal: “In all of the reams of tasks that you have to do, what is your most rewarding and most loved part of the job?” “It’s a bit dorky, but being a person that when somebody needs help they ask me. And the odd time that something happens, everyone else is running away from something and we’re running towards it,” said Nathan sheepishly. “When we are helping people and then they say thank you, that’s my favourite part, when they appreciate whatever we are doing here,” Virpal chimed in. “We’re here to help. We basically just wander around looking for ways to help people,” followed Nathan. “The most important thing is that people know that we’re here to help them with whatever they need: help finding a place, they’re not feeling well, they have a concern for their safety or security, they saw something suspicious, any of those things. There’s not really anything ever that we’re doing that’s more important than that, so they’re never bothering us, they’re never a hassle. The whole reason that we’re here is to help people who need help.”
LOST & FOUND
Have you lost something ? If you’ve lost your any of your posessions — from phones to water bottles — check in with security as they may have made their way there! Visit the temporary security office in D104 or call security at 1-855-239-7654
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
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CULTURE & EVENTS 7 Stories takes an alternative approach to theatre VANESSA BROADBENT
THE CASCADE
It’s easy to forget that each person has a life just as complex and confusing as our own, with their own set of unique problems, but 7 Stories, the UFV theatre department’s latest production, is going to help remind you. 7 Stories, written by Morris Panych, opens with a man who is standing on the ledge of the seventh storey of a building, ready to jump, until he is interrupted. “The play is a whirlwind of adventure as this man gets pulled into the insane lives of the people that live on this seventh storey, and their own moments of wondering why they haven’t jumped either,” director Courtney Kelley said. “It is hilarious, heartbreaking, and beautiful all at the same time.” Kelley is directing the play along with fellow student Natasha Beaumont, who discovered the play in a directing class the two took together in the winter semester. “She instantly fell in love with the script, and asked me if I was interested in co-directing it,” Kelley explained. “I laughed and said I wish I could, but I had no time to be getting involved with such a big commitment. I knew it would be an amazing opportunity, but I just didn’t have the time to do it.” However, Kelley changed her mind after reading the script. “She told me to read the script before I made my decision, and when I did, I was instantly hooked,” she said. “I knew I needed to make time for this — there was no other option. We began planning the show that night.” Now, seven months later, the play is ready to hit the stage. But there’ve been a few challenges along the way. UFV’s performance theatre was built with a thrust stage, where the audience is on three sides of the stage rather than just one, and since 7 Stories wasn’t designed for this arrangement, it took the crew a little figuring out to make it work. “This simple problem has had a huge impact on this show,
especially with the design of the set and the added elements of surrealism,” Kelley said. “In the end, this problem was definitely a blessing in disguise, as it resulted in our production being so much more interesting than just having a single flat wall to work with.” Kelley and Beaumont also chose to incorporate a different style of acting. Rather than sticking with the traditional Stanislavsky method, which requires a natural, realistic approach, they used the Grotowski method, which is more emotionally-based. “The challenge here is that with most actors being so familiar with the Stanislavski method, it’s always difficult to entirely change directions and try to break some of the habits that automatically come with the former style,” Kelley explained. “It has been so rewarding to watch our actors grow into the characters that we are seeing today, and they really have done so well with the challenges that this style brings.” It’s these changes and challenges along the way that have shaped the production into what it is now. “Natasha and I started planning for this production back in April, and it’s amazing to see just how much things have changed since then,” Kelley said. “From the set, to the costumes, to the acting, nothing is quite what we expected it to be, but it is so much better than we could have ever imagined.” It’s this notion of the unexpected, the way things can work out when you’re sure that they won’t, that 7 Stories is all about. “This show is relevant in unique ways to every person who comes out and sees it. It addresses questions about the meaning of life, the ridiculousness of life, and the beauty of life,” Kelley said. “If you’ve never seen much theatre, or think you don’t like it, just come see one show. Try something new; broaden your horizons. Let us change your mind.” 7 Stories is showing at the performance theatre at UFV’s Chilliwack North Campus from November 24 to December 4. For tickets and more information visit ufv.ca/theatre.
Photo: UFV Flickr
v HEALTH & LIFESTYLE
Keeping warm with spices MARTIN RANNINGER THE CASCADE
When the cold temperatures arrive, announcing the upcoming darker days of winter, we cope quite well by adding an extra layer or two of clothing, but is there something else that can keep us warm should the heating fail? It all comes back to a balance. Good and evil, Democrats and Republicans, yin and yang, hot and cold — you get the idea, right? Our bodies are the same when it comes to regulating temperature. With the colder temperatures, staying warm is important. Who likes to get sick and, well, be sick? Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) associates the water element with winter. It represents the yin part of the philosophy: cold, dark, and passive. It highlights the importance of preserving your internal energy. When it comes to dealing with sickness, food — or rather, our diet — plays an essential role in the TCM holistic approach. Each food has different thermogenic properties, and some can keep our bodies warm and others help us cool down.
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Warming foods are the ones you want to consume during winter. They are the yang, and food with these properties boosts our blood circulation to raise our core temperature. Generally, eat more of warm-coloured (orange and red) vegetables such as carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, and winter squash. Add in some other roots such as onions, rutabagas, and burdock, as well as fats from seeds, nuts, and whole grains, and your body will thank you both in the short and long run. Surprisingly, adding some of the culinary herbs from the spice kingdom can assist you immensely. Let’s have a look at five spices that you could include in your diet to stay warm. Ginger With its natural antioxidant and antiseptic properties, ginger is a great addition during colder months. It improves blood circulation to all parts of the body and thus keeps you warm. Juice it, add it to your morning smoothies, or spice up your dishes. Infusing water is another great way to reward your throat after spending time outside. My favourite is probably just adding few slices of fresh ginger to an herbal tea.
It is also known for treating nausea and calming upset stomachs, boosting the immune and digestive systems, and reducing inflammation. Ginger ale, anyone? Cinnamon Who doesn’t like the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls? They don’t have to be the only way to eat more cinnamon. Fruity smoothies will not only give you needed energy from sugars in the morning, but with ground cinnamon will keep you warm as well. For those preferring a cup of joe, add it to your coffee. Screw you, pumpkin spice latte! Cinnamon is sweet and aromatic, boosts metabolic activity, and increases blood circulation. Turmeric A staple in Indian cuisine and a cousin to a curry, both of which Ayurvedic (a holistic healing philosophy from India) highly appreciates for its warming qualities and taste. Just like cinnamon, turmeric can induce a drying effect in our bodies which in turn raises the temperature. Curcumin, being an active compound in turmeric, brings blood vessels back to health and normalizes the
blood circulation. You see the pattern of balance? Cardamom South India and Sri Lanka are home to a fragrant, gently warming herb called cardamom, which stimulates lungs and in turn raises our temperature. And if this wasn’t enough, students will surely appreciate its properties that improve mental alertness. Masala chai lattes being back in the season should make sense now, right? Black and cayenne pepper Cayenne, also known as Guinea spice, helps give relief from coughs and chills, tackles down congestion, and is rich in vitamin C. Get more adventurous this winter in the kitchen and use this red, flaked spice as an excellent addition to soups. Along with salt, black pepper is perhaps the most used table seasoning. Similarly to cayenne, it has antiseptic and antioxidant properties. Whether winter is coming or not, its potent warming quality will protect you even without building a wall. Spice it up and stay warm!
www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
CULTURE & EVENTS
Helping children through the power of gaming Annual Child’s Play fundraiser keeps UFV up all night
JEFF MIJO THE CASCADE/PHOTOS
For nine years running, UFV students have raised money for children in hospitals around the world through the power of gaming, and this year they brought in over $4,000. The computing student association’s (CSA) Child’s Play fundraiser took over the Great Hall of the Student Union Building all day on Friday, November 18, running through the night into Saturday morning. Filling the Great Hall with video games, trading cards, board games, and computers, the event was free and open to anyone, whether they had 10 minutes to kill between classes or were in for the whole 24 hours. “It’s a charity event so we want to raise a bunch of money, but we also need the event to be enjoyable for students,” explained CSA president James Doull, “otherwise we’re saying, ‘Hey, give us money, because charity,’ so if people aren’t having fun, then what’s the point?” To raise that money, the CSA ran raffles throughout the day for prizes donated by local businesses. At $2 per entry and with draws every few hours, the prizes kept flowing all day long. Ranging from Dungeons and Dragons books to retro video game consoles, from ocarinas to bobble heads, there was something for geeks of
all interests. “I love some of the donations we get, they’re hilarious,” Doull said with a laugh. “Getting a ukulele is something I never expected, and last year people loved it, so Long and McQuade donated one again this year, and I’m expecting people to go nuts. I love doing the raffles … it’s really fun when people get something that they wouldn’t normally spend money on, and they get really happy. That’s always fun to see.” The event also partnered with the Canoe to offer $12 meal tickets which included a burger, fries, and a drink with a portion of the proceeds going to charity. Walking around the Great Hall in the mid-afternoon, the event certainly looked like a success. With crowds gathered around rows of TVs running multiple versions of ***Super Smash Bros., and a smattering of retro consoles set up along the walls, it was easy for students to drop in and have a bit of fun with fellow gamers. For those looking to stay for a longer time, local business House of Cards brought Magic: the Gathering supplies, a towering pile of board games filled an entire table, and PC gamers in for the long-haul had space to set up computers for some intense LAN party action. The charity supported by the fundraiser, Child’s Play, raises money to make the lives of children in hospitals a little easier. By
supplying hospitals with toys and games, they give kids a chance to focus on something other than scary and sometimes painful hospital stays. The organization, which has also recently expanded to include domestic violence support facilities, is well known in the gaming community, raising large amounts of its donations through other charity drives, streams, and marathons. One of the largest marathons, Desert Bus for Hope, ended its week-long run on November 18, and during it, a Child’s Play employee revealed that supplying therapeutic entertainment costs around $7 per child. So what does the $4,000 raised by UFV students mean? Not just a 24-hour marathon of fun and games, but 571 hospitalized children both in Canada and around the world given a chance to just be kids again as they fight through battles far more terrifying than any boss monster. “We needed to pass $4,000 this year in order to break $20,000 raised since this event started nine years ago,” Doull wrote in an email after the event concluded. “So we’re very happy with this event.” If I’d helped nearly 3,000 children in hospitals, I’d be very happy too.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
www.ufvcascade.ca
CULTURE & EVENTS
The Polly Fox tale
Getting to know Abbotsford’s vegan, gluten free bakery
Photo: Polly Fox Instagram
KLARA CHMELAŘOVÁ CONTRIBUTOR
Once upon a time in the city of Abbotsford, a little fox came to life. It was quite extraordinary. You could find no other like it. As the little vulpine wandered the streets, it witnessed no place for the city’s inhabitants to hide away from the toil of daily life, nowhere to unwind. And so our little fox decided to create a den for them. Settling under the mighty maple tree on the Mayfair Ave, it stuck out its fluffy tail to let wanderers know where they can sit down, relax, and eat. This mischievous little canine was born in the mind of former freelance photographer Kelsey Mackintosh, and The Polly Fox is a one-
of-a-kind bakery. It’s gluten-free, focusing on addressing all sorts of food allergies without taking away from the taste. “Everything is made on-site, from bread to the mayonnaise that we use in our sandwiches,” said Mackintosh. “Not only for quality and freshness, but just to ensure that everything is free from allergens. We also try to use local ingredients and keep things seasonal.” Being a celiac herself, Mackintosh recalls the constant worrying of whether or not the food she bought and ate was safe. “I think it came out of the place of frustration,” she said. “It’s really difficult as someone with food allergies to find safe places to eat.” Harnessing her passion for baking, The Polly Fox opened its doors to the public at the end of
February and it seems impossible to close them since. Both Mackintosh and her partner in crime, Kaitlin Simoes, shared surprise when their quite unusual enterprise attracted customers beyond the younger crowd. “There is a lot of people from our parents’ generation who are later in life discovering that changes to their diet have really helped with their long-term health issues,” Simoes said. “We were expecting the younger generation.” Another reason The Polly Fox became so popular is its unique — for the area — offerings. “There is nothing like it. [We were] able to cater to the market that hadn’t been tapped in this community,” adds Simoes. Unlike many vegan restaurants, despite being a health-conscious eatery, The Polly Fox does not
come off as pretentious. You know that feeling when you go to some of the vegan restaurants and you feel out of place? The Polly Fox doesn’t have that. “Ultimately we just want to be part of this community,” Mackintosh said. It shows, in the open and welcoming atmosphere that hits you when you first enter through the unassuming glass door. “And we do have sandwiches on the waffles,” Mackintosh added. “It’s a huge sandwich and it’s amazing.” Just hurry up, because as lovely as their current location is, they plan on digging themselves a bigger den in the near future.
v SCIENCE COLUMN
The origins of plastic surgery JASMIT CHITRATH CONTRIBUTOR
Most of us think that the science of plastic surgery is a recent medical marvel achieved with the help of new era technology, but this knowledge has been around since 600 BCE. Sushruta, a plastic surgeon from India, is known as the “father of Indian plastic surgery,” as his methods paved the way for our modern plastic surgery science. His medical work and methods are found in Hindu text Atharvaveda (one of the four Vedas) under the title Sushruta Samhita, which is believed to be the first surgical text. Sushruta Samhita, which translates to “Sushruta’s Compendium,” describes the ancient traditional surgical procedures in Indian medicine. Considered as the most advanced compilation of surgical practices of its time, it also contains the teachings of allied branches including midwifery. Sushruta mentions in the text that “Anyone who wishes to acquire a thorough knowledge of anatomy must prepare a dead body and carefully observe and examine all its parts.” The explanation also
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includes that a body is to be submerged in water and allowed to decompose. Then one would thoroughly examine every stage layer by layer. Now, the most interesting fact to be noted is that the dissection wasn’t performed using instruments. So how did Sushruta close deep cuts without modern surgical instruments? Well, he used heads of giant ants (ones with big pincers) to effectively staple a wound while performing surgery for gastrointestinal perforations. Once the pincers are in place grabbing the edges of the wound, the physicians would then cut the body off the ants, leaving their jaws in place. The stitches had to be equally spaced as having the gap too wide would cause pain in the wound, while having the stitches too close would contract the wound edges. Another highlight of Sushruta’s surgery is the operation of rhinoplasty. (Nothing to do with rhinos or their plastic surgery.) Rhinoplasty is the process of making a new nose and this technique alone brought him fame as the originator of plastic surgery. The current Indian rhinoplasty is just a modification of his original method where the forehead flap, the skin right above the eyebrow,
was used to perform the surgery. Sushruta came up with the idea in 600 BCE, and it was introduced to Europe in 15th century. Sushruta Samhita was first published in Europe by Hessler in Latin in the early 19th century, but the first English translation was done by Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna in three volumes in 1907 in Calcutta, India. His detailed surgical description, insight, and accuracy in the text are impressive. It includes 184 chapters and 1,120 conditions that include various medical explanations, and treatment procedures ranging from injuries and illnesses relating to ageing, to mental illness. His compendium doesn’t cut slack for surgeons, and includes chapters on training and practice including description of over 120 surgical instruments. Sushruta’s brilliance is uncanny when it comes to surgical science, and is recognized by many surgeons across the globe. Allen Oldfather Whipple, another surgeon and the 19th century’s major innovator in pancreatic surgery, said, “All in all, Sushruta must be considered the greatest surgeon of the pre-medieval period.”
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
www.ufvcascade.ca
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ARTS IN REVIEW MOVIE REVIEW
Shuffle AARON LEVY STATION MANAGER
There's clearly a revolution taking place across North America, the likes of which we'll have to wait and see, but it began televised on November 8th precipitated with a campaign of 'no respect' from both sides, and the radiation vibe we've found ourselves on since then promises to be all that and a bag of potato chips.
Gil Scott Heron "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" Heron experienced a personal renaissance in cultural consciousness since releasing 2010 comeback "I'm New Here"; sampled by Drake and 'Re-rhea' for 'Take Care' with The Weeknd after being literally shouted out by LCD Soundsystem in 2001's 'Losing My Edge', but boy was he wrong. 1.7 Million times over. Erasure "A Little Respect" Rolling, frolicking peaks and valleys of lead singer Andy Bell's disco crooned plaintiff words punctuate this 1988 top 20 hit in the states, not their first nor last. The band actually had 24 straight top 40 UK hits, selling 25 million copied, and were formative LGBTQ figureheads in the 80's. Carly Rae Jepson "All That" Carly Rae is more than just a Mission-born and raised superstar singer-songstress who skyrocketed to stardom in 2012 with UBC-Alum and Marianna's Trench frontman Josh Ramsey written saccharine-banger "Call Me Maybe". She also has this totally wicked and silky smooth funky track called "All That". Fountains of Wayne "Radiation Vibe" Now, before we discuss this excellent and little known slice of 1990's alt-rock psychedelic pop song writing, we need to establish a significant indicator with regards to the artist responsible for recording it, nearly 10 years before making it filthy rich. Y'all remember Stacy's Mom, right? That's them, too.
CHARTS 1
Preoccupations Preoccupations
2
A Tribe Called Red We Are the Halluci Nation
3 4 5
Sad13 Slugger Majid Jordan Majid Jordan Blessed Blessed
6
Kishi Bashi Sonderlust
7
Jay Arner Jay II
8
Against Me! Shape Shift With Me
9
La Sera Music For Listening To Music To
10
Hot Panda Bad Pop
11
Eleanore Eleanore
12
Cheap High Picture Disk
13 14
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Dream a dream and what you see will be
Phantogram Three Red Velvert Russian Roulette
15
FT Island Where's The Truth
16
Elephant Stone Little Ship Of Fools
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Harpdog Brown Travelin' With The Blues
18
Sunday Wilde Blueberries and Grits
19
Al Lerman Slow Burn
20
Ghost Popestar
KLARA CHMELAŘOVÁ CONTRIBUTOR
When I was a child I liked to imagine that stars were actually holes in the floor of another world. There were all kind of creatures living there: dragons, fire horses, and birds made of clouds. One day I decided to tell my teacher in the kindergarten. “Oh don’t be silly, girl. There are no other worlds out there,” she responded. So I stopped talking about it. As children, every branch is a magic wand or sword and inside every closet, under every couch, there is another world to be explored. Yet, gradually as we grow up our fantasy seems to shrink away. In fear of being ridiculed, we shove all those magical and unfathomable dimensions into the back of our mind. “You’re a grown-up now, so behave like one.” Have you ever heard that phrase? I have, many times in fact. And so we do, facing the world devoid of previous colour. We go to study, get a job, and live in the greyness of the “grown-up reality.” But, even inside the world devoid of imagination, there are places where our fantasy can come out and play without being targeted. It comes back through invitation into the world created by another, be it settling with C. S. Lewis’ Narnia during a stormy evening, or watching the newest movie from J. K. Rowling, enveloped by the darkness of the cinema. That’s what Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is all about. When young wizard Newt Scamander lands on the shores of the New World for the first time, nobody suspects this young, slightly aloof, British man is carrying a suitcase containing another world. Yet that’s exactly what Newt’s unassuming brown luggage hides in its depths. Saving and
protecting mythical animals, Scamander sets off to the streets of New York to return one of the suitcase occupants back where he belongs. Little does he know that a small mishap with a cannery worker and muggle Jacob Kowalski will send the whole city into disarray and may threaten the mage community living in secrecy to be exposed to the world. It’s been a very long time since I genuinely enjoyed a fantasy movie, the last one probably being The Lord of the Rings. Since then, there have been a few alright movies like 2007’s The Golden Compass or the first film of The Chronicles of Narnia. Never a particularly big fan of Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling always stood on the margins for me, and I thought of her in similar terms as I do about Stephanie Meyers and her Twilight Saga now: a woman who got lucky with her quick fanfiction story, taking away from classics like The NeverEnding Story and such. But she proved me wrong. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them not only is very solid story-wise, it is mastered in the terms of touching upon every aspect you would expect from a fantastic tale and going beyond. From visuals that aren’t overdone, to a multifaceted script, to being a magical fairy tale taking you back into the times grandma’s broom was a magic staff. Furthermore, Rowling proved that it’s possible to transition from one main character to another, while keeping the same world gracefully. Fantastic Beasts and where to Find Them definitely earned its place right up there with the 1984 The NeverEnding Story, because while watching it, I wasn’t a 21-year-old university student. I was that four-year-old girl that believed stars are peeping holes into different reality. Thank you, J.K. Rowling.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
www.ufvcascade.ca
ARTS IN REVIEW ALBUM REVIEW
Black America Again is a politically charged and compelling hip-hop masterpiece AMAN BHARDWAJ CONTRIBUTOR
Black America Again is a record that challenges listeners to become socially and politically aware, while also promoting equality between men and women and supporting the empowerment of women in society. Chicago-based lyricist Common returns with his 11th studio album in which he expresses his views on the American prison system, as well as the dehumanization of African Americans in the country and black-onblack violence. The rapper focuses on the dangers that exist in inner-city neighbourhoods, and ultimately, how to rise above it all. What we get as a result is a genuinely captivating album beautifully crafted by an artist who has personally experienced the grim realities of life as an African American in Chicago’s Southside. I have always viewed Common as a contributor of socially conscious hip-hop and a number of tracks on this album such as “Home,” “Pyramids,” and “Letter To The Free,” directly reflect this sentiment. “Black America Again,” the title track and album’s centrepiece, finds Common rallying against the systemic discrimination that has haunted African Americans for centuries, while criticizing the acts of police brutality and black-on-black violence that seem to be getting progressively worse. Here, Common is as angry as ever and razor-sharp in his execution, providing a glimpse into the harsh and inhumane realities that many African Americans face regularly: “I know that Black Lives Matter, and they matter to us / These are the things we gotta discuss / The new plantation, mass incarceration / Instead of educate, they’d rather convict the kids / As dirty as the water in Flint, the system is.” A somber piano accompanies Common as he continues to raise his voice. The instrumentation in the background continues to build
on itself as he becomes more aggressive and vents his frustrations: “Endangered in our own habitat / The guns and dope, man, y’all can have it back / As a matter of fact, we them lab rats / you build the projects for, now you want your hood back.” Common acknowledges the mental health issues and substandard living conditions that continue to plague many African American communities in the U.S. In the wake of racial violence, tensions between law enforcement and minority groups, and the moral panic experienced within communities across the United States, Common stands as the voice for oppressed and disenfranchised African Americans. He assumes the role of a catalyst, attempting to cultivate real, positive change: “We hold these truths to be self-evident / All men and women are created equal / Including black Americans.” Common also expresses his love and appreciation for women in truly poetic ways on tracks such as “Love Star,” “Red Wine,” and “The Day Women Took Over.” These tracks show his ability to be elegant and passionate, while also acknowledging women as being equal to men and advocating for equal rights between both sexes. Another particular highlight on this album is “Unfamiliar,” a track that instantly reminded me of the time when I first heard “I Can’t Help It” by Michael Jackson, many years ago. “Unfamiliar” may be one of the best songs I have heard in years, as it demonstrates Common’s ability to naturally flow in and out of the track effortlessly, while lyrically, he explores the themes of commitment, equality, and relationships. He is accompanied by Paris Jones, an up-and-coming artist from Greensboro, who contributes to the smooth and relaxing tone of the track with her angelic vocals, as Common expresses his love for his nameless, significant other: “I paint for you a picture, I’m forever in it with ya / Love it when we hang, in my life, you’re a fixture / A mixture of love, laughter, scripture / The right elixir, my spirit I pour to enrich ya / I’m with ya.” The track never seems to lose its touch and becomes better with each subsequent listen.
On Black America Again, Common has crafted one of the greatest albums this decade, an emotionally gripping and politically charged masterpiece that showcases his impeccable skill, powerful lyrics, and immense passion for hip-hop. The album is consistent, seamlessly paced, and executed with such precision; a testament to the high level of artistry that Common must have been striving for when he was making this. Ultimately, Black America Again celebrates black excellence and further solidifies Common’s status as one of the greatest wordsmiths in hip-hop history.
ALBUM REVIEW
Mikey & His Shame gives the valley, *ahem* something more to be proud of MARTIN CASTRO THE CASCADE
Mikey & His Shame’s debut Thing Things was full of twisted, energetic tunes that seemed as tongue-in-cheek as they were legitimately experimental. Haphazard drums keep the listener guessing as to just where any given track would go next before giving way, as they did halfway through “Purposes Are Weirder,” the album’s opening track, into a frenzied pop romp. Lyrically, the record’s second track was full of vibrant images that toed the line between angst and comedy: “Tear down a condo, and build up a new one that’s taller ‘cause I want to open a chain and put you out of business, it’s true. I’m the mayor. I’ll sell you weed at the Orange Julius at the mall— it’s paprika!” So it came as a surprise that “The Shame,” the track that opened *ahem*, seemed to be much more seriously channeling its energy into more straightforward quasi-punk rock. Thirty seconds in, the track morphs into a head-bopping garage-anthem that introduces the listener to lead singer Mikey Power’s inexplicably comical delivery. I envision Power sporting a wide, goofy grin while singing amid what’s essentially a punchy, rhythm-led good time. One thing that’s evident on *ahem* is that the collection of tracks presented really are more serious than those on Thing Things. Not too serious, though. Even “I’m In Control Of My Alcohol Abuse” melts around itself, shifting rhythms and focus from an otherworldly intro to a straightforward and kind of dissonant pre-chorus before launching into
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a head-banging chant that’s catchy as hell. And then the fun really starts. At the four minute mark, the track turns into a jam, more of a synthesis of well-aimed noise than any kind of harmony. Warbling distortion fades in and out over the droning bass notes and ever-insistent drumbeats. Feedback loops into itself endlessly. The bass drops out at some point and just as slyly comes back. *ahem* proved to be much more experimental than I expected it to, and while the disintegration of “I’m In Control Of My Alcohol Abuse” suggests that whoever the “I” refers to is anything but, there’s something about the four tracks that seem to draw me back to the record all over again. The key lies, perhaps, in the appeal of “Our Band Could Be Your Wife.” The title suggests that Mikey & His Shame aren’t being wholeheartedly serious. It’s perhaps tongue-in-cheek, and the track starts with a kind of slightly prog-rock tinged intro that backs up that notion. But then we’re hit with one of the most unapologetically angst-ridden instrumental sections while Mikey Power screams out “This band is your band! Your band is my band! My band is your band! This band is your band!” and then, at one point, what sounds like “These pants are your pants!” I don’t know if I’ve ever come across a band that’s managed to pry such genuinely amused grins from me all while compelling me to dance or jump or move in time with its decidedly tense structure. I can’t tell if this band is being intentionally funny or not. But they are rad as hell. Even the cover of the record is kind of kind of funny.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
www.ufvcascade.ca
ARTS IN REVIEW ALBUM REVIEW
A Tribe Called Quest obliterates any competition on We Got It From Here… BRADLEY PETERS THE CASCADE
It’s hard to express the hype that surrounded A Tribe Called Quest’s new album. We Got It From Here… Thank You For Your Service, is the sixth and decidedly final album by the pioneers of smooth, jazzy hip-hop. It’s been 20 years since the group’s last release. A freight train of contributing artists joined this new record: Kendrick Lamar, Andre 3000, Elton John, Jack White, Kanye West, Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, and Consequence. The hype surrounding We Got It From Here… was all-time, and so, accordingly, the ol’ elephant entered the party asking whether the legends could live up to expectations. Imagine Tyson getting back into the ring in his late-40s for one last brawl — you’re celebrating, but secretly you’re worried about the legacy. Tribe didn’t knock this one out; they tore the gloves off and absolutely obliterated the entire arena. During the production of this album, one of the greatest rappers ever and Tribe member Phife Dawg passed away. His lyrics for the album had already been recorded. The group somehow managed to put the album together, working all through the night for months, completing the record on November 9, two days before its release. Q-tip, Phife’s childhood friend and Tribe member, said this about the creation of the record: “This incarnation of Tribe is divine order.” Listening to the album, it’s tempting to believe him. We Got it From Here is a powerful send-off by one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time. The first song “Space Program” bangs with old-school hip-hop style, a raspy movie monologue opening, and samples of jazz riffs overflowing with swagger. Then “We The People,” the second song on
the record, takes that underground vibe, turns it up, and swells it with contemporary fury, spitting “We don’t believe you ‘cause we the people / Are you still here in the rear, ayo, we don’t need you / you in the killingoff-good-young-nigga mood,” and a chorus that blares in the face of their Republican countrymen, mocking, “All you black folks you must go / all you Mexicans you must go / all you poor folks you must go / Muslims and gays, boy we hate your ways.” The collaboration on the album is impressive. Elton John supplies piano on a few tracks, Jack White brings a spectrum of guitar influences from bluesy bass to feverish electric, and the modern giants such as Andre 3000 and Kendrick Lamar don’t disappoint, rhyming with confidence and vigor, but they never seem to outshine any of the OG’s. Every word from Tribe is imbued with earnest intensity, as if time has replaced any sense of comfort or complacency with a need to howl one last dissent into the stratosphere before receding into the shadow of the future generation. The song “Enough!!” is a suave joint of soul music sound with scratching turntables, tapping symbols, and breathy background singers. Track six, “Kids,” is a romp with bopping piano and lyrics recalling young dreams and a chorus blaring “Kids don’t you know how all this shit is fantasy?” The second to last track, “Ego,” blends bopping trumpets, eerie violins, and Jack White on guitar. The last song — simply titled “The Donald” — invokes the reign of Donald Trump. But it’s more of a sendoff to Phife Dawg who shows up halfway through to remind everyone who the fuck he is, rapping “Leave the i-Phones home, skill sets must be shown / I’mma show you the real meaning of the danger zone.” A Tribe Called Quest sounds as fresh as ever, motivated and inspired.
The timing of the record, with all of the political chaos and racial turmoil, is impeccable. As well as being a swan song to a great musical crew, We Got It From Here ... is a touching sendoff to one of rap's most influential players. Eighteen years later and these dudes are still spitting fire. That’s worthy of a salute. For a sample, check out “We the People,” enjoy, then realize these dudes are fringing on 50 and have your mind blown. R.I.P. Phife Dawg.
ALBUM REVIEW
Justice successfully resurrects the 1970s MARTIN CASTRO THE CASCADE
I don’t know if it’s something in La Seine’s waters or a cultural obsession with “Saturday Night Fever,” but disco survived by way of French. It’s been nine years since Gaspard Auge and Xavier de Rosnay released †, an album which would go on to shape my interactions with electronic music. Even now, whenever I hear distortion being employed in electronic music, I immediately think of Justice. “Genesis,” the track that kicks off †, is this great operatic disco monolith, sinister in its straightforwardness, spilling over with fuzz and distortion. Even the percussion is distorted. This trademark of Justice cemented itself by the time “Waters of Nazareth” rolled around. There’s no space in the track that is not filled by warbling, amp-shattering distortion. All this to say that, despite a sophomore release that paled in comparison to their debut, I entered Justice’s Woman with incredibly high hopes. And on Woman, the age of self-awareness is upon us. “Safe and Sound” kicks the record off with so much disco that it’s not possible to overlook the nostalgia that saturates the release. Compared to Earth Wind & Fire, this disco is a lot slower, which is to say although strings set the mood, what we’re really getting is funk. Sure, strings and a synthesizer dance around each other blatantly, there are keyboards and the kind of multipart vocals reminiscent of the ‘70s, but this is one part disco, to two parts funk. And it is glorious. However, compared to †, Woman is much less abrasive. “Pleasure” for example exemplifies elements of disco while inserting a chorus that
alleviates from the shiny aesthetic presented. And while unapologetic disco music isn’t really my thing, Woman manages to carve out a niche for itself in the hole left by the relative inactivity of artists like Breakbot and Kavinsky. (Seriously, Kavinsky, it’s been three years.) Songs like “Fire” make use of the same airtight grooves that cropped up on their debut, but among a less distorted, less harsh background. One can only speculate as to the reason for the change: an appeal to the masses? An aesthetic shift from the more arena-rock aspects of their earlier music? If there’s one marked structural change on this record, it’s that the tracks on it are less driven by a central phrase or groove. “Stop,” for example, seems to meander between several phrases that fall in and out of the foreground. The same can sort of be said for “Chorus.” But the latter marks a blending of Justice’s more harsh palate with an ‘80s-dystopian vibe, a re-imagining of the soundtrack for Logan’s Run, if you will. One of the more central tracks on the record comes by way of the single, “Randy,” and it’s at this juncture that we get a more straightforward pop track, all glitter and palm-muted guitars in the background. It’s this song that acts as the flag-bearer for Justice’s new, more lush incarnation. “Randy,” along with “Heavy Metal” blend the two aesthetics together. “Heavy Metal” incorporates the more brooding harpsichord licks of their past work, and “Randy” smooths it all out, two aesthetics which culminate in “Love S.O.S.” Woman champions disco through the lens of synthesizers, and if we’re being honest, although it pales in comparison to †, Justice’s third release is a much-welcomed, refreshing re-branding of the duo.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
www.ufvcascade.ca
ARTS IN REVIEW MOVIE REVIEW
Hack-job Ridge Mel Gibson's latest story of sacrifice gets lost in trope
MITCH HUTTEMA THE CASCADE
The most important lesson any small business person, artist or musician has to learn is to separate themselves from their work. I'll elaborate; in the creative process and in the case of a small business the proprietor of the business or the artist creates something which will in all likelihood be commented on and critiqued by others. The most common mistake made (I'm looking at you art students) is to equate the criticism of the work with criticism of yourself. This is not the case. Though you put your heart and soul into creating the work, or producing the product, if it doesn't turn out or the reception to it isn't great, don't consider that a critique of you! Learn from the criticism and put that knowledge into making it better or doing it better next time! This leads me to Hacksaw Ridge. It is an unpopular position, to say the least, to criticise anything to do with the World Wars, likely because people see that as synonymous with criticising veterans and their sacrifice. This is a distinction I'd like to make. I’m criticising the filmmaking of Hacksaw Ridge, not the sacrifice that the war vets have made. This film really was not spectacular. It's a classic American flick in every way, but it's not the good kind of classic like Citizen Kane, it's the trope kind of classic like Michael Bay and his explosions. It’s a boy falls in love with girl he just met, goes on three dates, kisses twice and then marries her kind of classic American flick. The whole first hour of the film could be compacted into something around 20 minutes and the second half could use some creative cutting as well. What I really mean is that the whole two hours of the film isn't totally wasted, about 45 minutes of your time spent in the theatre will be worthwhile; if you make it through the first hour the second is easy. The film has a great story to tell but it gets lost in filmmaking
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cliches and pre-assembled plot fixtures. A drunkard father beats his son because he doesn't know how to deal with the trauma of fighting in WWI; a bible thumping Christian boy that wins over his haters with love; a boy becomes medic when he grows up because he nearly killed a friend when he was young; one son is macho while the other is a sweetheart (guess who daddy loves more), you've seen all of these before. Hacksaw Ridge purports all the values you'd expect deep America to: war is great, guns are good, but Jesus is better ps. respect the vets. It's a period film set in the 50's so I guess that's standard procedure. This is the kind of story I'd expect every Trump voter to adore, there's casual racism and every American male stereotype has a role on the cast. I don’t have an issue with the dominant Christian narrative of the film, I have an issue with how cluttered a character the protagonist is made out to be. Andrew Garfield plays the role of Private Desmond Doss, the first religious conscientious objector to win the Congressional Medal of Honor without taking up arms. Doss is portrayed as the most stereotypical and dumbed down version of a Christian, his intellect is no match for his devotion. Aside from the issues I have with this stereotyping, director Mel Gibson muddles the introduction of the film so much that the impatient viewer might tend towards hating the Doss which is not at all the intent of the story. Gibson is following in the steps of Passion of the Christ as he tells another predominantly Christian narrative, yet at the same time manages to alienate much of his Christian audience by losing the thread of the story in gore and spectacle by the time the second half of the film starts. Telling a war story in two parts can work very well, just look at Full Metal Jacket, Stanley Kubrick’s 1987 anti-war thriller. Just like Kubrick, Gibson changes focus halfway through the film from the atmosphere and hype around war portrayed at home to the actuality
of war as represented by troops in battle. Gibsons homage to Full Metal Jacket is most obvious through his own rendition of the famous scene where Sergeant Hartman berates and degrades his new recruits as he tells them he is now their god. Gibsons rendition of this scene however, has Vince Vaughn playing the drill sergeant which makes the whole scene incredibly difficult to interpret. Vaughns serious demeanor in berating the men is an attempt at copying Kubrick, but weird comedic timing and blatant humour absolutely ruins the intensity of the scene which detracts from the parallel between the two films leaving the audience feeling weird. Gibson uses numerous instances of homage to Full Metal Jacket but makes light of things as compared to Kubrick. He references an anti-war existentialist film to try to further his war-is-a-man's-duty agenda with a Christian protagonist. “It’s not killing if it happens in war” says one character. I hadn’t realized how war is such a huge part of North American culture before watching this film. I’ve watch my roommate play hours upon hours of Battlefield 1 and I’ve seen war every single day in the news. It took this film and my angst towards it for me to really clue into how war has been normalized and glorified in our culture. It’s tough to criticize when you see sacrifice exemplified; this film does an excellent job of relaying the sheer number of soldiers that participated and sacrificed their lives for something they believed in. Without detracting from the sacrifice, consider how easily misguided these soldiers were. 16.1 million American soldiers participated in the second World War, that’s nearly half the population of Canada. When you see the countless men blow apart in Hacksaw Ridge you realize that the forces in charge have little care for the individuals and waste them at the cost of achieving victory. The spectacle of Hacksaw Ridge is a sobering look at the mechanics and men involved in WWII and it inspires awe for the sacrifice that was made, but the film itself is a far cry from becoming a classic.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2016
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ARTS IN REVIEW BOOK REVIEW
No brow is too highbrow or lowbrow for Peter Babiak’s searing commentary BRADLEY PETERS
THE CASCADE
Peter Babiak moved to Vancouver from Ontario in 1994 and teaches at Langara College. Garage Criticism is his first book. Laced with wry, biting insight, this collection of essays is a rout of contemporary mores and a defiance of superficial culture, a book that questions the real cause and purpose of many North American frills and follies. No topic is taboo. Nonchalantly riffing on the locals and lovers and landscapes that surround him, the result is a confluence of savvy, surprisingly funny critiques. He dismantles best-selling books and oversensitive students, analyzes the rebound of feminism, points out the hypocrisy of fighting terrorism with terror, discusses marriage and the merits of infidelity, Vancouver’s thriving poetry, the sadism of happiness, and more. He even takes a dig at Nabokov, that “literary genius but pretentious dick.” In “Julia’s nipples and God’s Barometer,” Babiak laments the creative shrivel of lusty literature while the cult fanaticism of ***Fifty Shades of Grey merits pop notoriety. In “The View from Zero Avenue” he chastises America’s “unsophisticated arrogance” and sacrosanct free-market economics, which seems prescient given the recent U.S. election. Babiak’s wit is relentless. While discussing the growing student apathy for language in “F you, Professor: Tumblr, Triggers and the Allergies of Reading,” readers are presented with a convoluted, misspelled sentence (think pre-teen texting) from one of his first year literature students. “My soul goes through paroxysms when I look at this word carnage,” he writes, “but mostly my head just really hurts because at root I’m a good person.” Readers will note impressionist reflections from other writers who’ve influenced him — Nietzsche, Baudelaire, and Kerouac’s laid-back jive. But it is the confluence of Babiak’s own character and charisma, subtly tugging like a river current beneath swift sentences and sharp perspectives, that gives the writing its attitude and the book its unexpected hook.
The colloquial tone of Garage Criticism renders high-brow ideas in curt terms, offers a symbolic middle finger to pedants, and elevates mundane, workaday moments into thought-provoking “melon scratchers” such as “A poem is like cleavage barely glimpsed beneath taffeta.” He can describe an interaction in his office with a student
as “so unnervingly wanton and such a bamboozling conundrum that it left me metaphysically overwhelmed.” This play with language, though usually entertaining, sometimes feels like blowing smoke, but Babiak, a father who has learned to keep his own pretentious harangues in check, doesn’t hesitate to knock the legs out from beneath his own armchair. He lampoons his own flamboyant use of language in “Purloined Gigabytes and the Secret Capable of Taking Place between Us.” While expressing his desire for “reanimating my years with the sensuality that had drained from them,” he observes “only a voluptuous yearning … the kind that leads to the sublime disorientation of landing in a stranger’s bed, could give life the semblance of art … I still wonder if that’s just an absurdly pretentious way of saying I wanted to get laid.” In its later chapters, the book has moments too where it dissects quandaries, such as the significance of untold secrets or the painful knowing of friendship as finite, and it offers unique angles of understanding that endow the book with significance. Discussing the existential incongruity of happiness in “Waiting for the Catastrophe of My Life to Be Beautiful,” he writes, “Happiness, if it exists as something more or less tangible, must be in the sub-microscopic moments when we give our attention to a soul because that soul has sought us out.” A few paragraphs later he proposes that “Nothing is quite as agonizing as exposing your soul with all its strengths and weaknesses, virtues and vanities, and nothing is quite as joyful as someone who displays their soul for you.” Using personal anecdotes and family sub-themes to establish and bolster his essays, Babiak’s intimate histories grow progressively more potent. Somewhere, a transition takes place and the garage critic is replaced by the father, lover, the middle-aged man searching for some meaning in a silly world. The wisdom of this book doesn’t come from its dismantling of vacuous modern culture, but from its subtle examination of fatherhood, the follies of man, the inevitable fray of husbandry, and the tribulation of losing the ones you love. These are messages that are left nearly unsaid, unseen, but like stars resting beneath a sunrise, achingly they remain long after the book is closed.
WE ARE HIRING A MANAGING EDITOR The Cascade Managing Editor contract Rate of pay: $300 per issue Job Description: The Managing Editor works in tandem with the Editorin-Chief (EIC) to manage staff and ensure a smooth editorial workflow. While this description attempts to outline the scope of the Managing Editor’s position, ideally the Managing Editor and EIC will work as a team to ensure The Cascade can achieve the goals outlined in the Cascade Journalism Society’s bylaws and to work towards fostering a welcoming environment for volunteers and the UFV community. The Managing Editor shall be responsible for providing support to the Editor-in-Chief in respect to editorial workflow and administration, and shall be an educational resource for section editors and volunteers. The Managing Editor will also be responsible for internal editorial and volunteer relations. The Managing Editor shall follow the wishes of staff as expressed in staff decisions, and at all times, the Managing Editor shall adhere to the Cascade Journalism Society’s bylaws, Code of Conduct and other policies. Duties and Responsibilities 1) Assist the EIC with editing duties. 2) Write copy as needed for The Cascade. 3) Provide support for section editors in conjunction with the EIC. 4) Establish and maintain a features schedule and supervise the completion of each feature. 5) Solicit editors and volunteers for feature ideas, and work to ensure that there will be at least one feature per week of publication. 6) Facilitate at least one features-related workshop per semester, two if possible. As well, work with section editors to support the development and execution of at least one section-specific workshop per semester.
7) Ensure, in conjunction with the EIC, that the tasks of any absent editor are completed. 8) In the case of an unanticipated temporary absence of the Editor-in-Chief, ensure that the duties of the EIC are completed. 9) Hire, train and, when necessary, discipline and/or dismiss staff, in consultation with the Editor-in-Chief. The Editor-in-Chief has final say in all hiring/termination, but the Managing Editor is responsible for the “Human Resources” side of the Cascade. 10) Organize team building retreats and recruitment events. 11) Endeavour to maintain a welcoming office atmosphere for volunteers, and bring any human resource issues to the attention of the EIC or, if necessary, the Board of Directors. 12) Must work 12 scheduled office hours per week during the Cascade’s regular business hours. 13) Must coordinate volunteer orientation and training 14) Perform other job-related duties as required by the EIC or Society. Qualifications 1) Must be a member in good standing of the Cascade Journalism Society. 2) Must be registered in at least one credit course during the fall/winter semesters. 3) Must be available to work varying hours. 4) Must be available to be present in the office for at least 12 hours per week, especially Tuesday afternoons. 5) Must be able to deal effectively with Society and university staff, students, and the general public. 6) Must demonstrate strong command of the English language by passing an editing test, which will be administered during the interview process. 7) Basic literacy is required. 8) Must have knowledge of all relevant laws and journalistic standards concerning libel. 9) The ability to work with a diverse group of volunteers is necessary for this position. Conflict resolution courses would be an asset.
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UPCOMING EVENTS NOV.
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CELTIC THUNDER @ Abbotsford Centre 7:30 PM - 12:00 AM
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UFV HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIR @ UFV Five Corners 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
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UFV THEATRE: 7 STORIES @ UFV Performance Theatre 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
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PLAY: A FULL HOUSE @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre 7:30 PM
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COUNTRY CHRISTMAS MARKET @ Maan Farms (Abbotsford) 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM COFFEE HOUSE CONCERT SERIES: MICHAEL AVERILL @ Clarke Theatre (Mission) 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
DANIELS V. CANADA: WHAT’S NEXT FOR CANADA’S METIS @ Abbotsford Campus - B121 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM CAREER AND LIFE PLANNING WORKSHOP @ Chilliwack Campus - A1318 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM
UFV THEATRE: 7 STORIES (OPENING NIGHT) @ UFV Performance Theatre 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING @ Historic Downtown Abbotsford 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM
WINTER SOLSTICE LUNCH @ Abbotsford Campus - Indigenous Student Centre 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
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UFV THEATRE: 7 STORIES @ UFV Performance Theatre 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
UN INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR PERSONS WITH A DISABILITY @ Mission Library 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM POP UP ARTISAN MARKET @ Highstreet Shopping Centre 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
UFV THEATRE: 7 STORIES @ UFV Performance Theatre 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
ROTARY CHRISTMAS PARADE @ Downtown Chilliwack 5:30 PM
PLAY: A FULL HOUSE @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre 7:30 PM
UFV THEATRE: 7 STORIES @ UFV Performance Theatre 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
COUNTRY CHRISTMAS MARKET @ Maan Farms (Abbotsford) 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM UFV THEATRE: 7 STORIES @ UFV Performance Theatre 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM ABBOTSFORD EDUCATION AND CAREER FAIR @ Tradex (Abbotsford) 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
NOVEMBER WALKING PROGRAM @ The Abbotsford Centre 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM WINTER SOLSTICE LUNCH @ Chilliwack Campus - A1454 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
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POP UP ARTISAN MARKET @ Highstreet Shopping Centre 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM UFV THEATRE: 7 STORIES (FINAL SHOWING) @ UFV Performance Theatre 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM FOOD BANK SKATE @ Twin Rinks 3:15 PM – 4:45 PM
CHRISTMAS AT CLEARBROOK LIBRARY @ Clearbrook Library 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
SPEAKER: KIM GEMMELL @ Abbotsford Campus- A225 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM FOOD BANK SKATE @ Twin Rinks 3:15 PM – 4:45 PM ABBOTSFORD FLEA MARKET @ Exhibition Park- 32470 Haida Drive 6:00 AM – 4:00 PM WALK MISSION @ Downtown Wander 10:00 AM – 11: 00 PM CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE @ Sweet Dreams Luxury Inn 1:00 AM – 5:00 PM
CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING @ Historic Downtown Abbotsford 3:00 PM - 9:00 PM
PLAY: A FULL HOUSE @ Chilliwack Cultural Centre 7:30 PM
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FOOD BANK SKATE @ Twin Rinks 3:15 PM – 4:45 PM
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3RD ANNUAL INTERGENERATIONAL CHRISTMAS DINNER @ LLC 32444 7 th Ave 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM
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CHRISTMAS AT THE CLARKE BENEFIT CONCERT @ Clarke Theatre (Mission) 7:30 PM FOOD BANK SKATE @ Twin Rinks 3:15 PM – 4:45 PM
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16TH ANNUAL CHRISTMAS MASQUERADE BALL @ Abbotsford Centre 7:00 PM
HOSTING ANY EVENTS YOURSELF? WANT TO SEE THEM POSTED HERE? Send the date, time, location and any relevant info for the event to jeff@ufvcascade.ca