The Cascade Vol. 24 No. 4 by The Cascade

FEBRUARY 3 TO FEBRUARY 16, 2016

VOLUME 24 ISSUE 4

Planning three massive projects, two late essays, and one nap for reading break since 1993

“It was set in Vancouver’s Chinatown, but it was full of things that were familiar to me ...” An interview with writer-in-residence

Jen Sookfong Lee Pages 10-11

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

CONTENTS

News

Opinion

Culture & Events

Arts in Review

Flipped classrooms

Matsqui Nation

Peace and security

True Story

Lectures may become a thing of the past

What does their support of the pipeline mean?

Seminar puts historical terrorism in focus

Crime drama is about more than murder

CONTRIBUTORS

STAFF Editor-in-Chief Michael Scoular michael@ufvcascade.ca

Opinion Editor Alex Rake alex@ufvcascade.ca

Illustrator Sultan Jum sultan@ufvcascade.ca

Managing Editor Valerie Franklin valerie@ufvcascade.ca

Culture Editor Glen Ess glen@ufvcascade.ca

Webmaster Brayden Buchner brayden@ufvcascade.ca

Business Manager Jennifer Trithardt-Tufts jennifer@ufvcascade.ca

Arts in Review Editor Martin Castro martin@ufvcascade.ca

Multimedia Editor Mitch Huttema mitch@ufvcascade.ca

Copy Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca

Production Manager Brittany Cardinal brittany@ufvcascade.ca

Staff Writer Sonja Klotz sonjak@ufvcascade.ca

News Editor (interim) Vanessa Broadbent vanessa@ufvcascade.ca

Production Assistant Danielle Collins danielle@ufvcascade.ca

Arts Writer Jeffrey Trainor jeffrey@ufvcascade.ca

Aman Bhardwaj Bradley Peters Pankaj Sharma

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA @UFVCASCADE FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/THE.CASCADE

Terrill Smith Rachel Tait Joel Robertson-Taylor

Volume 24 · Issue 4 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 Cover image: Sultan Jum Printed by International Web exPress

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 1,500 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, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

EDITORIAL

NEWS BRIEFS Student feedback sought on rec centre CHILLIWACK — UFV is asking students for feedback on a new rec centre to be built at the CEP campus. The centre will be a combined effort of UFV, Cascades Athletics, and the Student Union Society, and will be located at the former site of the RCMP firing range. UFV will be sending surveys to students, as well as holding meetings with stakeholders to gain feedback. Steve Tuckwood, director of athletics and campus recreation, says that there is currently no budget for the rec centre, but the university is working to reallocate current funds. —Chilliwack Times

UBC faculty protest Board of Governors meeting VANCOUVER — A group of UBC faculty members protested the Board of Governors meeting on February 2 to demand more transparency from the board. Using the hashtag #UBClean, the group argued that the current board needs to be replaced, not only because a lack of transparency, but also due to tensions between its members. The protesting, which lasted over an hour, caused the meeting to be suspended for several minutes due to the amount of noise, as well as to allow protesters to come into the meeting room. —The Ubyssey

Abbotsford potential location for Molson brewery ABBOTSFORD — Following the sale of its Vancouver location, Abbotsford could be the new home of a Molson brewery. The brewery would be planned to take up 300,000 square feet of land, and employ over 300 workers. The Vancouver plant, which sat on the south side of False Creek, was sold in November of last year. Molson announced that while they are searching for a new area to build a plant, they will continue leasing their current location. —Abbotsford News

It’s not us, it’s you

EDITORIAL

The fall of Canadian newspapers is being called a tragedy. Not necessarily MICHAEL SCOULAR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“Stop kidding yourselves. You and your schools, your television, your complacent newspapers, you are the great preservers of this appalling tradition that is based on the idea of possessing and destroying.” — Pier Paolo Pasolini I think this is the part where I’m supposed to launch a great in memoriam for the fallen newspapers, make a case for why they’re still important, and assemble great amounts of historical and current data to show you why you, the reader of not-that-many-if-any newspapers are doing yourself a great disservice. You are letting newspapers die, and newspapers are the only thing standing between politicians, law enforcement, corporations, criminals, education boards, every industry ever in operation, and unchecked corruption, which would in the end hurt you, yes you, and your way of life. I’m not that attached to the idea, though — there are clear examples out there of what great journalism looks like, and what it can do, and no one likes to see hard-working, extremely skilled, big-hearted people lose their jobs. But what are people talking about when they say that the journalism being lost was fixing the world, bringing communities together, was continuing a great tradition, etc.? They went under because of poor management, yes, but also because hardly anyone was reading them. The loss of the papers in Nanaimo and Guelph and what they represent (and the possible future of the demise of the Vancouver Sun and the Province, now shoved into a single newsroom), is a horror story for archivists and a poignant loss for those who made paper-reading part of their daily routine. But we aren’t losing journalism, we’re seeing its old routines condemned. A lot of the questions and theories and ideas that newspapers across the country are printing in response to these cuts can be seen as what happens when an entire profession is threatened. There are a lot of regrets and bitter feelings — this could have been avoided, they say. But how much of a credit would it have been for the monopolized presses of Canada to continue running without any sign of distress? These are mediocre papers, papers that refuse to or are simply incapable of capturing and bringing to life the day-to-day experience of entire groups of their communities. They report on the games of politics and sports, and go to experts for opinions, and search for that coveted “human interest.” But they aren’t interested in changing; they love their digestible formats, the way each section of the paper makes the world seem comprehensible and easily mapped out, and wish they could find a way to close out the wider world the internet has let in, where there are endless options when someone is looking for a story that will make them feel less alone, more informed, closer to the world outside. There’s still a place for newspapers, if they want to do the hard, now much harder, work of reflecting a community. But when people cite the over-100 year history of some of these newspapers that are closing, it seems worth pointing out: why did they look so similar, so many years later? People are not so limited any more: if they want to see where they live from a stratospheric or microscopic perspective, newspapers are clearly not up to the job, so long as the format forces writers to fill a daily’s pages, unable to reflect or expand on stories, which they pick up and drop according to trends and attention spans. I’m not saying that newspapers ought to be swept out with the past. They won’t be, just like cinema has not died just because theatres were closed across the country following the shift from print to digital distribution. Just that journalists are suspect to the problem of over-practice. As Adam Grant writes in a piece for the New York Times, citing recent research on creativity, “The more we practice, the more we become entrenched — trapped in familiar ways of thinking. Expert bridge players struggled more than novices to adapt when the rules were changed; expert accountants were worse than

illustration: Sultan Jum

novices at applying a new tax law.” Newspapers, for the most part, have become entrenched in the idea of a consistent, reliable, survey-confirmed readership. And that will kill many. They report on the same stories, year after year, with no purpose other than relaying information: that will fill pages, but it will not reach readers, and, in the end, it won’t be very good storytelling. The great critic of journalism Janet Malcolm recently wrote for the New York Review of Books on a new collection of the writings of Joseph Mitchell. In one section of her review, she quotes from one of his letters: “My desire is to get the reader, well, first of all to read it. That story [‘The Bottom of the Harbor’] was hard to write because I had to wonder how long can I keep developing it before the reader’s going to get tired of this ... I can’t tell the story I want to tell until I’ve got you into the pasture and down where the sheep are. Where the shepherd is. He’s going to tell the story, but I’ve got to get you past the ditch and through these bushes.” Malcolm takes over after the quote, referring to Mitchell’s reputation as someone whose journalism sometimes used imagination rather than cold facts, who cared about storytelling above the standards of the time: “Every writer of nonfiction who has struggled with the ditch and the bushes knows what Mitchell is talking about, but few of us have gone as far as Mitchell in bending actuality to our artistic will. This is not because we are more virtuous than Mitchell. It is because we are less gifted than Mitchell. The idea that reporters are constantly resisting the temptation to invent is a laughable one. Reporters don’t invent because they don’t know how to. This is why they are journalists rather than novelists or short-story writers.” Journalists don’t have to be short-story writers, but they do have to know how to think like them: the world as not a set of facts that can be arranged in a line or thrown onto a page, but a place that constantly gives up stories, where the known and the unknown constantly encounter one another (and deserves more than a vulgarized photo and headline). The best journalism has always been about this; perhaps it could have been fostered to a greater extent at the Sun or the Province or at any other community paper. But instead of mediocrity enduring, the situation is: rip it up and start again (or find another line of work). If you look at newspapers as a job, as a career where, once someone has an education and approval from an editor, you ought to be entitled to a life in a fun, high-activity office, this is remarkably upsetting, of course. But if journalism is a responsibility, one that can’t be presupposed as blameless and good, well, it’s an opportunity to do something better than preserving an old tradition.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

NEWS Flipped classrooms continue to grow as a viable option for UFV professors JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR CONTRIBUTOR

While the lecture format of instruction has stood the test of time, researchers interested in the responses of students and in teaching methods — a relatively new study that has only gained prominence in the last several decades — have asked the question: is this the best method of teaching? There has been a growing interest not just in how students perform in certain teaching environments, but what they think of these methods; this is where the research has been focused. “In the traditional structure the professor talks, asks some questions, assigns some readings, then leaves,” says Molly Ungar, associate history professor at UFV. “However, there are many different developments in society that have occurred that have impinged on students’ attention spans. A student’s concerns, if [they] have three part-time jobs … are different than the person 30 years ago who did not have any jobs and had a little bit of money.” Taking into account the different needs of today’s student, flipped classrooms have gained popularity as an effective approach to classroom-oriented teaching. “It’s a very energized environment,” Ungar continues. “In a flipped class there are no lectures whatsoever. You don’t do your so-called homework at home, you do it in class.” This structure allows for an instructor to give active, handson guidance to students while they work through exercises. Because readings or recorded lectures are viewed outside of class as preparation for the in-class activity, students may watch prerecorded lectures or read text-books as much or as little as they need. It effectively reverses the traditional method of focusing on learning concepts in class and doing the prescribed work at home to familiarizing oneself with the material outside of class then harnessing the full teaching potential of a professor or instructor during class time. “The whole class time is taken up by doing assignments, doing presentations, discussions of some kind, and doing exercises that enable you to do critical analysis,” Ungar says. The activities often vary from class to class, but the idea is to think critically and collaborate with other students. As for the instructor, “The instructor doesn’t do nothing, the instructor walks around and helps. That’s the key.” A downside for the professor, Ungar notes, is that there is

photograph: Mitch Huttema

often substantially more marking involved because each class sees students produce different work about which they need feedback to progress and move forward with the material. The method isn’t exactly radical — in fact, many classes already function as a hybrid between flipped and traditional formats. The flipped class doesn’t come as a remedy for the traditional methods but as another approach. It offers a chance for an exchange of dialogue and questioning which in some learning environments proves to be very effective. This doesn’t imply that flipped classrooms will replace lecture formats, as many students and instructors still prefer coming to class and listening to or presenting a lecture. When delivering a lesson to large groups, lectures have the clear advantage of addressing many pupils at once. Most seminars and many religious events are structured around a single presenter delivering a message or teaching to a receiving audience. This format offers a different dynamic than teachings that require

participation from the students. Despite the contrasts in methods, Unger notes, “The issue here is not one of good or bad.” Quite commonly, she says, “People who get graduate degrees are not taught how to teach because most universities care about research.” These are institutions where ranks are gained through research, not through teaching. UFV, on the other hand, is a teaching-focused institution. To inform and bring clarity to the alternative teaching approaches, Molly Ungar facilitated a workshop on February 2 for faculty and staff that looked at how flipped classes can be designed and implemented in lecture-based classes. Following the workshop, UFV may end up following the lead of many other Canadian universities, and see an increase in the use of the flipped classroom format.

SUS creates student leadership awards VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

Students in leadership or volunteer positions are now able to win awards from the Student Union Society (SUS) recognizing their work on campus. There are three categories of awards that SUS will be giving out: leadership, volunteer, and club or association. “The idea for this was conceived when we were doing our strategic planning about eight months ago,” says SUS president Thomas Davies. “We wanted to create an opportunity to recognize excellent student service and contribution to the UFV community.”

The award winners will receive a $500 prize. SUS will also be hosting an awards ceremony and displaying plaques in the Student Union Building with the winners’ names on them. Davies says SUS created the awards because they feel such recognition is lacking at UFV. “Right now, there’s nothing truly recognizing [student involvement] on a broader scale,” Davies says. “There’s many different scholarships and bursaries … but we also want to recognize students from an actual award perspective.” Nominations for this year’s awards will open February 3, with a deadline of March 11. A shortlist is scheduled to be announced a week after the closing date.

“In future years, we’ll probably have the applications open for the duration of the winter semester, just the launch time is a little bit later this year because it’s the first year,” Davies says. Both self-nominated and peer-nominated applications will be accepted. Davies also adds that the three categories of awards may be added to in the future. For both the leadership and volunteer awards, the nominee standards are not limited to those involved with the SUS. The clubs and associations award will be necessarily limited to officially registered groups. Each award has a criteria guide, which is available through the SUS website. For example, the leadership award, the nomination

package notes, “Leaders are not only those called president or manager; leadership is shown through action, not by title, and those actions are what this award recognizes.” Davies feels that the awards will be a way to recognize students for their work and involvement. “We feel it’s important … to recognize student involvement and student participation,” he says. “There’s a lot that students do on campus that sometimes goes noticed, sometimes doesn’t … UFV wouldn’t be the place that it is without the wonderful work of so many different students in so many different areas of the university.”

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

NEWS Yellow Umbrella Project unfurls at UFV VALERIE FRANKLIN THE CASCADE

Students are adding a splash of colour to the mental health conversation. At an information session on Wednesday, January 27, the executive board of the mental health awareness club (MHAC) announced that this semester the club will offer a series of events supporting mental health as part of the Yellow Umbrella Project (YUP). Started by the College Student Alliance in 2013, YUP is a national campaign to bring mental health awareness and support to post-secondary institutions through student-run projects, events, and activities. MHAC project manager Aneet Bains says she first heard about YUP at a Canadian Conference of Student Leadership session. She was inspired to bring the project back to UFV, where she partnered with MHAC to bring it to life. “I found [the MHAC executive] to all be very likeminded and passionate about increasing awareness,” she says. “This is where our project started.” At the information session, Bains presented a list of upcoming events that will be run under YUP this semester. Although there are no dates set yet, the plans include mental health screening days, a colouring day, a ball pit, a dance in the dark, a games night, a carnival, and meditation on the Green.

“

The mental health struggle is really real ... And we don’t understand that, and sometimes we live in denial.”

But what does a yellow umbrella have to do with mental health? Bains explains that yellow is an uplifting colour that evokes hope and happiness, while the umbrella symbolizes shelter from

stigma and shame. “The mental health struggle is really real ... And we don’t understand that, and sometimes we live in denial,” Bains says. “But we’re here to provide the yellow umbrella to talk under.” YUP’s mission is similar to that of MHAC, including goals such as diminishing the stigma surrounding mental illness. “If you align the two they mesh very nicely, and that’s why I brought the project to MHAC executives,” Bains says. There’s a reason mental health is a frequent topic of discussion at university campuses; according to the Canadian Mental Health Association, suicide causes 24 per cent of deaths among 15- to 24-year-olds, and 16 per cent of deaths among 25- to 44-year-olds. “Mental health affects one in four people. Nine out of ten people with mental health problems experience stigma and discrimination,” Bains says. “Mental illness is the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide, and we really need to understand it and start making a difference on our campus.” Existing mental health initiatives at UFV include mental health and screening days, therapy dog sessions, workshops such as the Study Smart series, and free counselling services for students. Self-help resources are also available on the counselling department’s web page. However, Bains says that many students don’t know what’s available to them.

“Not a lot of students know about resources, not even the counselling department. I, for one, did not know there were counsellors available to talk about anything,” she says. “There are a lot of resources at UFV that are essentially being unused because people don’t know about them, and we’re hoping that we can spread awareness through our committees.” To demonstrate the importance of mental health awareness and support, Bains asked four volunteers to play a game of Hot Potato in which different coloured balloons represented school, work, volunteering and extracurricular, family obligations, mental illness, and stigma. As Bains tossed more and more balloons into the circle, the players had to struggle to keep them from touching the ground. “This is exactly how it feels,” Bains says. “People who are facing mental illness feel this way, and on top of that if they’re facing stigma and discrimination, it gets really overwhelming. “We’re hoping to initiate conversations, start projects, create safe space, safe places for people to come to us … and we’re hoping that we can maybe just be one little support group that can hold onto one balloon, or push it when it’s about to hit the ground,” she adds. MHAC will meet from 8:30 to 10 a.m. every second Tuesday in room B121, starting February 16. Bains hopes the upcoming events associated with the YUP campaign will draw more students to get involved with the club. “We really need you. We really need help,” says Bains. “We need involvement in MHAC initiatives — involvement from students, staff, faculty, counsellors, everybody. We will be doing events ... we just need people to be there.”

is seeking a webmaster! Know Wordpress inside and out? Great attention to detail? Love crafting social media posts? We want you! Send your resume, cover letter, and links to three samples of your work to valerie@ufvcascade.ca by February 10, 2016.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

NEWS This week’s results NO BASKETBALL GAMES Volleyball (Home in Abbotsford) Men’s vs COTR Saturday, January 30: (W) 3-0 Sunday, January 31: (W) 3-1 Women’s vs COTR Saturday, January 30: (W) 3-1 Sunday, January 31: (W) 3-1

Next week’s games Basketball: At UBC-Okanagan Men’s vs UBCO Friday, February 5 @ 8:00 p.m. Saturday, February 6 @ 7:00 p.m. Women’s vs UBCO Friday, February 5 @ 6:00 p.m. Saturday, February 6 @ 5:00 p.m. Volleyball: At UFV Abbotsford Campus Men’s vs CAP Friday, February 5 @ 8:00 p.m. Saturday, February 6 @ 7:00 p.m. Women’s vs CAP Friday, February 5 @ 6:00 p.m. Saturday, February 6 @ 5:00 p.m.

photograph: Tree Frog images

Tom Lowndes earns permanent spot as men’s soccer head coach VANESSA BROADBENT THE CASCADE

After a successful first season of coaching the Cascades men’s soccer team, Tom Lowndes has been named the team’s head coach. Lowndes worked as interim coach for 2015, and led the team to a Canada West bronze medal victory — the second time in the team’s history. “I’m looking forward to it,” Lowndes says. “We had a good season last year, so for me, it’s positive that we’ll get to come back and build on what we did last season, hopefully improve and get better in the off season now, and be ready to go when the fall comes.” After joining UFV’s coaching staff as an assistant coach to Alan Errington, Lowndes took over the head position as an interim replacement, the announcement coming at Errington’s retirement dinner last summer. Following in the footsteps of the person responsible for building soccer at both a university and national level, Lowndes knew he had to pay attention to more responsibilities than ever before. “I know we did well on the field and in the classroom, so I feel like I ticked all the boxes they were looking for,” he says. “I think they saw something in me and I’m happy that [athletics director] Steve Tuckwood’s giving me the opportunity … I’m ready to take it with both hands and build the program and see how far we can go.” Tuckwood explained that Lowndes was chosen for the position

over a number of other candidates. “We had some strong candidates who applied, but Tom obviously did a great job last year with the squad, and he really showed us that he’s capable to be a full-time coach so we’re going to give him that opportunity,” he says. “He’s got a real passion for the game and he wants to learn. He knows he’s a young coach and he has a lot to learn on coaching, but he’s committed to do that.” Part of Lowndes’ responsibilities as head coach includes recruiting athletes for the upcoming season, and with team captain Colton O’Neill having just finished his final year of eligibility, it won’t be an easy feat. “That’s a big hole to fill,” Lowndes says. “[But] if we can bring in four or five quality players this year and four or five quality players next year then that gap won’t seem so big.” Despite the big wishlist, Lowndes still expresses confidence in his current roster. “We’re always looking for quality players,” he says, “but if someone told me today that we couldn’t sign anyone else, I’d be very happy with what we’ve got for next year.” The 2016 season will officially get going in the late summer, but the team is beginning to train as of last month. “We pushed it back a week so that the lads could get settled into their classes,” Lowndes says. “The next two or three weeks will mostly be in the gym, in the weight room. After reading break we’ll get outside, we’ll get on the field.” Though he’s now earned the permanent tag, Lowndes doesn’t want to look at the next season with anything other than high

expectations. Every season is an opportunity to prove something, to get closer to perfection. “We fell one game short of that last year, so it’s not like we’re a million miles off, but we’re very close,” he says. “I think we just need to tweak a few things and be a bit more consistent throughout the regular season.” Lowndes sees consistency as exactly what the team needs at this time. “The biggest thing for [the team] is to get some level of consistency,” he says. “Some of the boys in their fourth and fifth year have gone through two head coaches, three assistant coaches, they’ve had three different home fields [recently] — so that’s a lot of change.” “I think for them, having someone that they’ve been around for three years, that they know and obviously had some success with as well, is a positive thing.” And Lowndes doesn’t look at his role as having earned a higher status, one above doing the hard, sometimes unpleasant work of looking at weaknesses and finding new ways to do things. “I think an effective coach always looks back and assesses himself, and looks at what things went well but also what things we could change and do differently,” he says. “I don’t think you ever stop learning; you never stop wanting to get better. Same as the players want to get better every single day, I want to get better every single day. I think in order for us to have a successful program and do the things that we want to do, it’s important that I have the same desire and attitude that they do.”

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

STUDY BREAK Crossword BOOKWORM

by Miranda Louwerse

Last week’s answers

Across 1. ”The _ _ _ _ _ _ _”, fourth book by UFV’s writer in residence 3. A book-lover 6. Short introduction to a book 9. A brief summary 10. The profession of Bartleby 11. Printing press

Across 2. CASCADE

5. VANCOUVER 9. CANADIANTUXEDO 6

11. LATTEART 12. VSCO

Down

2. A long narrative story 4. Ancient Egyptian paper 5. Less mighty than the pen 7. 2016 UFV Writer-In-Residence 8. ”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Words”, Sookfong Lee’s CBC Radio One show 10. Book binding

Down 1. VICTORIA 3. BAY 4. PORTLAND

6. GRIZZLY 7. EVERGREEN 8. BAKER 10. STOLO

EclipseCrossword.com

Horoscopes

Star Signs by Moira Mysteriosa

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19

Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22

Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21

Never trust a Taurus. The car, not the star sign. Well, maybe the star sign too.

You have no tahini in your fridge. Fix this immediately.

To catch your best selfie angle, try standing in ultraviolet light. Your eyes have never looked brighter!

Virgo — Aug 23 to Sep 22

Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19

Up to no good, as usual, aren’t you? Virgos!

Let sleeping coworkers lie. The boss will catch them eventually anyway.

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22

Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18

To avoid strife this week, you must eat nothing but peanut butter. The stars command it!

Never catch a tiger by its toe. The rhyme is cute, but does not mention all the expensive surgeries you’ll need.

You are not the droid we’re looking for. Move along.

Cancer — Jun 21 to Jul 22

Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21

Give Netflix subscriptions to your enemies. They’ll fail their classes and you’ll look generous. Win-win!

Going crazy is a healthy, natural part of being a student. Shhhh, just relax and let it happen.

Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 Going to the SUB? Remember to BYOWIFI. (Bring your own WiFi.)

BY ANTHONY BIONDI

SPACED

Down with gravity! Also, read the first word of each horoscope for an extra special message from Moira. Mwah!

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

OPINION

Longing for linearity

Maybe I’m just lazy — though I prefer to think I’m time-efficient — but when going from point A to point B, I often like to take a straight line, the shortest distance between two points. And so, UFV, I have a request: can we get a path of some kind from the SUB parking lot to the doors into the Great Hall? The inconvenience of having to loop around to the side road and back is like a slightly less annoying version of when the crosswalk is a block or two away from where you need to cross, and you find yourself tempted to just jaywalk — even more so, considering it doesn’t involve stupidly risking your life just to save a few minutes or catch a bus. However, the swamp that the area between the lot and the doors often tends to be has on many occasions left me with wet socks and regrets. I must say that a bridge across this moor of eternal peril would be greatly appreciated.

Kat Marusiak

Cuddles or comfort? Alex Rake

Curtailed commentary on current conditions Top row illustrations: Sultan Jum Bottom row illustrations: Brittany Cardinal

Listening 101 Terrill Smith

There is no worse existential dilemma than being allergic to all the cute animals. I want to hug you, cat. I want to rub my face all over your soft, squishy body. And sometimes I know you’d totally let me, you’d be absolutely open to me picking you up and rolling around with you all over a dander-covered rug. I love you, cat. But the universe does not love me. My eyes get dry and itchy. My throat gets dry and itchy. My soul gets dry and itchy. And when I cry about it, my eyes are not relieved. I just add wetness to my dryness. I become both. And you leave, cat. You leave because no feline wants to snuggle up with a big, dry, itchy ball of sorrow. Sure, I take the antihistamines when I have to. They work, for a while. Then I get home with a sweater full of fur, and my whole night — my whole life! — gets catless and ruined. This is no way to live. But I know I must live. There are still so many cats to cuddle.

In surprising news, students discover jazz MItch Huttema

In one of my classes a few semesters ago, there was a student who would consistently tell personal anecdotes throughout class. Nearly every time the professor asked a question specifically relating to the course material, the student would eagerly pipe up and go off on a tangent about experiences relating to herself, her friends, or her family. A question about immigration policy could easily be derailed by a response pertaining to what she had for breakfast, or the breastfeeding habits of her friend’s children. It was disrespectful and disruptive. Unfortunately, this student’s behavior was not some isolated peculiarity, but rather what I believe to be symptomatic of a larger problem relating to lack of social awareness. Some students seem to think that needlessly talking about themselves or dominating class discussion is okay. But it’s not. If the student had taken a moment to look around the classroom, she would have seen exasperated students, irritated at her remarkable ability to waste class time. Ultimately, even though we are all “special” and have valuable things to say, that does not give us carte blanche to forgo reading a social situation, and in the process make everybody else in the room uncomfortable.

“Once you hear jazz, all other genres are ruined,” Jaime said. “One hundred per cent, man. As soon as those smooth notes roll their way into your ears, everything else is cheapened.” “I think that for this reason I wouldn’t have wanted to start loving jazz till I was at least 40, maybe 45 years old. That way I’d have my time with everything else before retiring on a fat pension of smooth bass and honey trumpet sounds.” “That’s where you get it wrong! You shouldn’t wait! Once you hear Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, you get this feeling where you wish that this beauty would have been revealed to you the second you were born so you could spend as much of your life loving it as possible. So don’t cheat yourself, live your life to the fullest, and pick up that jazz ASAP!” “Touché, my friend.”

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

OPINION Is this really an autonomous decision? Matsqui Nation changes stance on pipeline SONJA KLOTZ THE CASCADE

I understand the Matsqui Nation’s logic in regards to changing their minds on the proposed Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP), and can respect their acceptance of it running through their land. Whether the pipeline runs through the land reserve or next to the reserve, there are still mandatory environmental and social assessments that would need to take place due to the direct consequences the pipeline will have on the surrounding communities. Having the community experience the expansion project more directly by accepting the project will potentially reinforce Kinder Morgan’s cooperation in conducting the proper assessments to a standard that’s higher than just the bare minimum. But personally, I find this form of acceptance rather discouraging, since the initial plan was for the pipeline to go through the region no matter what the First Nations community would say in the first place. Despite the TMEP’s approach in negotiating with the Matsqui Nation, I would argue that the decision was predetermined. First, some background. Since 2013 there has been much heated dialogue between municipalities, First Nations reserves, and provincial governments regarding the proposed TMEP that would extend from Alberta into British Columbia, carrying roughly 890,000 barrels of oil per day. As stated in a report from the Conversations for Responsible Economic Development (CREDBC), “The existing Trans Mountain

pipeline runs through the communities of Rearguard, Albreda, Chappel, Blue River, Finn, McMurphy, Blackpool, Darfield, Kamloops, Stump, Kingsvale, Hope, Wahleach, Sumas, Port Kells, and Burnaby. In addition, the pipeline traverses 15 First Nations communities and dozens of other towns.” However, there are proposals in place for expansion extending well into the Fraser Valley, particularly in Abbotsford and Chilliwack. CREDBC states that “the Trans Mountain Expansion Project is part of a larger oil sands expansion strategy. The proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway project is the other main proposal on the table in British Columbia. Both pipelines would allow oil sands products to reach the coast for export to foreign markets, and both would involve significant risk to local communities and B.C.’s coastal waters.” Recently, following but seemingly unconnected to the protests that have occurred from residential communities and First Nations reserves, there has been a drastic shift in some of the attitudes towards the TMEP itself. Firstly, the Government of British Columbia has recently said it will not support the continuation of the building of the pipeline. This has come as a shock to most residents here in B.C., especially those who have been protesting constantly at Burnaby Mountain. In a recent press release to the CBC, the government has stated that “during the course of the NEB [National Energy Board] review, the company has not provided enough information around its proposed spill prevention and response for the province to determine if it would use a world-leading spills regime.” They

further explain their reasoning by saying that “the B.C. government noted that in 2012, it laid out five conditions the project would have to meet before it would be permitted in the province.” “The expansion project failed to meet any of those conditions,” according to Environment Minister Mary Polak’s statement, reported by the CBC last Monday. Interestingly enough, the tables have turned for the Matsqui Nation here in the MatsquiMission region. During the initial TMEP proposal, the Matsqui Nation, along with many other First Nation bands, had expressed some form of resistance to the pipeline going through their reserve. However, according to an article published in the Abbotsford News on August 30, 2015, “... while Kinder Morgan said it won’t build its expanded pipeline across Matsqui First Nation land unless given consent, a submission by the nation suggests they would rather see the pipeline built on their land, rather than right next to it.” The article goes on to say, “The company has already created plans that would skirt the southwest corner of the reserve, which sits between Harris Road and the Fraser River just west of Glenmore road. An alternate route has also been drawn up that would cross the reserve.” The Matsqui commissioned an impact assessment for themselves, in which “the effects of the project and possible impacts to Matsqui and their values [would be] established through the development of various scenarios, from routine operations to major spills.” Although assessing the environmental and

socio-economic impacts is always the best negotiation method in establishing some form of rapport with prospective communities, I am naturally skeptical of whether or not a transnational corporation such as Kinder Morgan is really all that interested in the community’s input. I believe their main goal is to export oil for capitalist purposes despite the potential negative impacts it may have in Canada. The fact that Kinder Morgan “has already created plans that would skirt the southwest corner of the reserve” exemplifies the pressure the First Nations community has experienced from the corporation itself. I am almost tempted to think that it is a form of bullying in that no matter what the community objects to, the corporation still plans to exist within the vicinity of the traditional land. Naturally, it would make more sense for the Matsqui Nation to have direct interactions with the corporation if the pipeline is built through their land. Overall, I have yet to learn about any trans-national corporation that is actually interested in Indigenous land values and socialcultural impacts. Perhaps there are some such corporations out there, but given Canada’s economic history with the First Nation peoples, the likeliness that the corporation will keep its written promises to keep Indigenous values integral to resource management and development is very low. Sadly, more often than not, such agreements are hardly acted upon in a respectful, and sustainable, manner. Despite the language used today (“Matsqui First Nation drops pipeline objections” was the News’ headline), this one likely won’t be any different.

Reading break: don’t let reading break you ALEX RAKE THE CASCADE

Reading break is nigh. Perhaps this time you’ll actually use it to read. Or perhaps you’ll catch up on all that sleep you sacrificed to get that stupid project finished. Whatever you do, don’t waste this week of opportunity on school stuff, unless you actually enjoy it. University seems designed to break us. A full course-load, which you ought to take if you plan on graduating before you’re a grandfather of three, not only takes up most of the daylight hours of the week with lectures, but paying for the education is impossible without entering debt or having a full-time job. And adding homework on top of those time requirements means we either have to sacrifice a healthy sleep and meal cycle or a healthy social life. It’s very easy to become sick or depressed if you don’t go in with a plan. First of all, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. The Canadian Organization of University and College Health conducted a study in 2013 which revealed that “almost 90 per cent of students said that they felt overwhelmed by all they had to do in the past year, while more than 50 per cent said they felt hopeless and 63 per cent said they felt very lonely,” The Globe and Mail reports. Furthermore, 9.5 per cent had said “they had

seriously considered taking their own lives in the past year, while 1.3 per cent said they had attempted suicide.” If you feel this way, you aren’t just one outlier whining into the void. You are a human being. Reading break can therefore function as a week of catharsis, a week of letting go of your shitty lifestyle and existential turmoil, and getting in touch with yourself and the things that make life good. But what makes life good? According to Aristotle, some of the things that contribute to a good life include friendship, selfesteem, and pleasure. Has university drained any of these things from your life? You have a week — go get ‘em! Relationships can only be formed by having human contact, so get in contact with some humans. UFV in particular seems to have a problem with student engagement; it’s always the same groups throwing and attending events, while many other students tend to treat this place like a big kid’s high school they want to get the hell away from at the end of the day. I know from experience that it can feel really difficult to make new friends in this atmosphere without being a part of any major organizations like SUS or CiVL. It’s up to you to break this barrier for yourself. Attend some local events! Go to a party! Kiss your sweetheart! At the very least, call up some old friends you haven’t been able to see lately because you’ve been too busy. Even the most selfsufficient, capitalistic solipsist needs a little human contact to level out their angst.

Self-esteem is a little trickier to get a grasp on. Knowing that we chose to get into the mess of student life makes it very easy, once time starts crunching and relationships start dissolving, to hate ourselves. Step one: leave your fucking basement. We live in an area where nature hasn’t yet been totally decimated, and getting in touch with the natural world is a great way of centering the self and understanding just how insignificant human problems really are. Step two: accomplish something. You don’t need to win any Academy Awards or cure cancer, but just get a little better at something or try something new. Practice your stupid guitar, clean your bathroom, and book that dentist’s appointment you’ve been avoiding. It’s the little stuff that adds up fastest. Lastly, seek a little pleasure for once in your stubborn little life. Sleep in! Make love! Intoxicate yourself! Listen to all that music you pretend you don’t like in public! If all you want to do is play Fallout 4 and masturbate, do it. Splurging is actually okay, once in a while, so long as you intend it as catharsis and not as escape. And, so long as you aren’t actually damaging yourself or others, letting loose, kicking back, and just not worrying about maintaining a professional, intelligent image is not going to ruin you. You will be recharged, reoriented, and ready for the grind of university again. Next week, forget school. Reading break exists — use it.

WEDNESDAY, FEBUARY 3, 2016

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“Let’s n

Writer-in-residence Jen Sookfong Le GLEN ESS THE CASCADE

The Kuldip Gill Writing Fellowship has always sought to bring accomplished, contemporary Canadian authors into the communities of the Fraser Valley. This year’s chosen author is Jen Sookfong Lee, whose work includes the novels The End of East and The Better Mother, the young-adult novel Shelter, and regular appearances on several CBC radio shows. While Lee will be using her residency here to help aspiring authors here at UFV and in the Fraser Valley at large, she’ ll also be taking on the responsibilities that have become traditional for UFV’s writer-in-residence, such as opening the Mission Writers and Readers Festival early in March. Lee was gracious enough to agree to an interview with The Cascade, during which we discussed a broad range of topics ranging from her introduction to, and decision to walk down, a creative path, to her thoughts on the publishing industry (and hip hop). When did you consider writing was the path for you? I was seven. No really, that’s not even a joke! I was seven and I wrote a short story, and I thought it was the most brilliant thing to have ever been written in the history of literature. I loved reading, and I thought that maybe I wanted to be a writer, and it was percolating in my head all those years. They had these youth writing things that they would send little kids to, and I was always doing that. When I was 16, I took an actual creative writing course in high school, and I said, “That’s it, I’m done, I’m just going to be a writer for the rest of my life,” though I did tell all of my family that I was going to be a lawyer so they wouldn’t be worried. And then it became patently clear that I wasn’t going to be a lawyer and everyone was disappointed! [Laughs.] Disappointed at first, but you had your first book published in 2007 [The End of East] as well as other work, in magazines. I started publishing in literary magazines when I was probably about 22, maybe? So I was pretty young, but the magazine stuff wasn’t terribly impressive to my family. I was 30, I think, when The End of East came out. It was the first time that my mother in particular was proud of anything I had done. She could see it, you know? You can see a book, it’s very tangible. You said you were 16 when you took your first creative writing course, was there anything that stood out to you in that course? Our creative writing teacher was really great at trying to find readings that were really relevant to us as teenagers — which can be challenging, especially for high school. She gave us The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy; not the novel, which hadn’t come out yet, just the short

Photograph: Mitch Huttema

story he’d had published in a literary m gave it to us, and it’s set in Vancouver’s And Wayson was probably 10 years youn parents, but there were a lot of similari of the street names, the words he was u

“ Canadian literature can b non-ethnic. The plethora of doesn’t reflect the actu contemporary, day-to-day live Canadians — who we see, w work with, who our friends

cabulary, and there was quite a bit of C ing. When I read it, it was a really tr moment. I understood then that people about the place I was from, and people w it. That was really interesting. I think that when we’re growing up think that our own stories are not very that our lives are not particularly interes going to other places to come up with to ing read that, I understood that every serves a story and is a story. It really ch was thinking about — what I would w I would do it.

So it was a relevant piece for you? Yes, relevant, and it was a Canadian, and the Chinese-Canadian community. And things that were familiar to me, and h beautiful, and compelling, and resonan fascinating, the whole alchemy, that yo something that to you is mundane int compelling.

Vancouver’s Chinatown is also a com in your own work. Does that come fro vein of thought? Yeah, I’ve heard this a million times from ing teachers. There are two types of s world: there are ordinary people doing e things, or there are extraordinary peopl nary things. I think for me, it’s always b people faced with extraordinary circums There was a time that I didn’t want t Chinatown, or the Chinese-Canadian but as I grew older I came to feel that of a responsibility. Canadian literature non-ethnic. The plethora of voices does actual, contemporary, day-to-day lives o dians — who we see, who we work w friends are. And I felt that because I cou story, I should. Doesn’t mean that every has to do with race, but it does mean tha ters always come from diverse places.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

not mince words here”

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So you want your writing to reflect the diversity of modern day Canada? Especially when we see much of modern day pop-culture being whitewashed. Yeah, how many headlines do we see about white actors being cast in roles that were written for diverse actors, or actors of colour. For example, when Rooney Mara was cast in the role of Tiger Lily in that Peter Pan movie, or Emma Stone cast in the role of an Asian-Hawaiian woman in that bad movie she made with Bradley Cooper, the name of which I can’t remember [Aloha]. That happens all the time. And if I have an opportunity to not do that, then I’m not. You’ve also been a juror for the Dayne Ogilvie prize and Canada Reads competition, and as part of that, you’ve been reading works from recent Canadian authors. Do they reflect Canada’s diversity? Yes, in the last five years it’s sped up quite a bit. It was a slow movement over the last 15, but in the last five years I’m seeing more writers willing to position themselves as outsiders, or on the margins. I’m seeing this with all sorts of different writers — you can be a straight white guy, but you can still write something that positions yourself on the margin. For example, Theoren Fleury, the hockey player, who wrote about his life and how he was sexually abused by a coach. He’s not placing himself as an alpha male anymore. That was a huge sea-change in respect to modern versions of masculinity. I think women in Canada, female writers, are more willing to push the boundaries of what they think femininity is, what our expectations for women are. I do think that publishers are looking for more diverse writers, particularly in terms of race and gender. I’m so excited — the last five years, it’s way better now than when I started out. I was like the only Chinese person in a room for, like, eight years! So it’s a more accurate representation now? I think it’s getting there. Publishing is pretty white; let’s not mince words here. It’s not a joke. I think the challenge has been in changing their mindset in terms of what Canadians want to read. I’ve always felt that publishers and editors were the gatekeepers for Canadian readers. I’ve thought for years that they’ve been doing a pretty bad job at it. Because their assumptions is that you can’t have, for example, two women of colour publishing in the same year. Wait, really? Okay, here’s a story about that. When I was writing — I can’t remember which book it was — we sent it to the editors, and one of the editors of the biggest publishing companies in Canada said, “Well we can’t take her book, because we have this woman’s book, another Asian-Canadian writer, coming out next year, and then we have another Asian-Canadian female writer coming out in two years. So we can’t take Jen at all.” With the assumption being that Canadian

readers, that will fill them up too much. With a diverse range of authors? Yes, for years they thought that they just couldn’t have too many, that the Canadian readers couldn’t deal with it. Which is crap, that’s junk. They’re assuming then that readers don’t have the mental capacity to do so? Which is completely untrue. I would say that Canadian readers are among the most sophisticated, open, and open-hearted people anywhere. It’s never the reader. Readers want to learn new things. And there’s new writers coming up that are diverse. Yes, there have always been new writers who’ve been diverse, always. It’s just publishing them. There’s always been new writers from everywhere writing all sorts of different kinds of stories. It’s just that publishing wasn’t letting them in, for whatever reason, but it’s changing. Changing tack a little, I’ve always wondered what authors do in the gap between publishing books. Well I work. [Laughs.] I do this stuff [residencies], I teach. A lot of it is writing, research, that sort of stuff. In the 18 months before a book comes out, you’re doing stuff like editing, cover design, author photos, which

“I was seven and I wrote a short story, and I thought it was the most brilliant thing to have ever been written in the history of literature! ”

is the fun stuff. A lot of times, personally, I do take about six to eight months off from writing when I finish a book, and I’ll go do other genres. That’s what we do! We explore other genres! So when I’m not writing novels, I’m usually writing poetry and nonfiction. I think if you asked any writer that, they’d say they work. We need money. You’ve got a new book coming out soon right? A thriller right? Yeah, it’s coming out in September. Sort of crime fiction, sort of noir. It’s gonna be fun, there’s dead bodies! Not that dead bodies are fun, for anyone reading this. Dead bodies are only fun in fiction, otherwise they’re not fun at all. So does that mean you’re currently working on something other than that sort of thriller-mystery?

Yeah, I’m writing poetry right now, and I haven’t written poetry in about 15 years. This is what the Kuldip Gill Writing Fellowship is allowing me to do. I’m so thrilled that someone’s allowing me to write poetry. And I’m working on non-fiction right now, mostly cultural criticism, which is also pretty cool. I’ve done short articles here and there, and I did work in newspapers and magazines. I’ve been doing that on and off my whole working life, but now, because I wrote those novels, people are allowing me to write the non-fiction I actually want to write. Which is a great gift. Most of my non-fiction has to do with pop culture and how it relates to race and gender. What exactly do you mean by cultural criticism? For example, one of the things I’ve been working on for about a year is a book about My Own Private Idaho by Gus Van Sant. That movie came out in 1991 when I was 15, and it kinda heralded the beginning of what most people understand as the grunge era, like Kurt Cobain and Nirvana and stuff. But it did it in a sort of international way, and brought it into the mainstream. Grunge was like my church and ideology at that age. So I’m writing this book about that film, but really it’s about the whole ‘90s cult of the alternative, the outsider culture that became mainstream culture, and how that affected a whole generation of people. And I’m kind of percolating an idea about women in hip hop, how that has an effect on mainstream femininity. There are so many pop and hip hop stars and I’m probably wrong about this, but I feel like there’s a more diverse range of voices than before. Oh yeah, I think so. If you want to boil it down, one of the most fascinating things to me was that, weirdly, journalists would ask singers like Katy Perry and Taylor Swift if they were feminists. And every time they would ask this, every pop star would have a different answer. It would be, “Yes, I am a feminist,” or, “No, I’m not a feminist,” and it was fascinating to me to try to figure out, why yes? And why no? What were the defining factors there? If we look at pop stars like Katy Perry and Taylor Swift, the very mainstream singers, their range of femininity is quite large. But if we look at female hip hop musicians, their range of femininity is quite a lot narrower. They’re a lot more … badass. Hip hop is like protest music ultimately, and it’s interesting and fascinating to me. I mean, I’m about the same age as rap, and what did that do to me? What did Queen Latifah do for me? Lee will be hosting writers’ workshops at 1 p.m. on February 23 and at 10:45 a.m. March 21, as well as a reading of her work at 12 p.m. on March 8. All of these events will take place in the SUB’s Great Hall, and all students are invited to attend. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

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CULTURE & EVENTS Photograph: Glen Ess

UPCOMING EVENTS FEB 4

Drop-in Calligraphy

CEP A building atrium (11:30 to 12:30) Abbotsford outside Tim Horton’s (2 to 4) and then the Global Lounge (4 to 7)

Eugenia Soljka from the University of Silesia (Poland) speaks about studying abroad The Global Lounge (10 to 11)

UFV SAUS hosts Meet & Greet Finnegas (5:30 to 7)

UFV Mental Health Day

CEP Tim Horton’s (Building A) and the Bookstore by the Trades and Tech Centre (10:30 to 2:30)

FEB 6

Sup at O’Neill’s with Blessed, Dodgers, and Aaron Levy O’Neills (33771 Gosling Way) (8:00)

Art Battle 349

Vineyard Community Centre (Chilliwack) (6:30)

FEB 9 FEB 11

Valentine’s: Gourmet meal

Feb 9, 10, 11 at Rivers Dining Room (Trades and Tech Centre) by reservation

Cascades Women’s Basketball: Shoot For the Cure pub night Finnegan’s, 7 to 9 p.m.

Theatre students’ fourth annual Cabaret entertains and amuses GLEN ESS THE CASCADE

FEB 12

The Metal Coalition Vol 5. Concert (Iron Kingdom, Obsidian, Never Another, Warborn) Brothers Billiards and Bowling (33550 South Fraser Way) (doors at 6)

Theatre is all about creating a shared emotional bond between the performers on stage and the audience in their seats. This past Saturday night at the Chilliwack North campus, the fourth annual theatre students association (TSA) cabaret succeeded in forging such a bond. A collection of several different performances by a multitude of theatre students, the cabaret show was side-splitting; the audience was routinely roaring with laughter and always willing to rattle the theatre with applause. From the very first dimming of the lights, it was clear that this performance was going to be entertaining and amusing. After all, it’s not every day that your introduction to a theatre performance involves the host of the night driving onstage on a scooter. That one

action really set the tone for the evening, which featured acts that highlighted the vast breadth of talent that UFV’s theatre students possess. Acts ranged from singing, improv, and dance (both tap and contemporary) to more traditional theatrical performances. The show was an informal one, with hosts Dalton Yanciw and Jessi Fowlis maintaining a casual, light-hearted tone throughout the night. All of the students involved in the performances demonstrated their depth of talent, from Trudy-Bridgette Smith’s tap-dancing to Blake Kimber’s skit, “Poetry In Nature,” which saw him performing a dramatic monologue while being introduced to some less-thanfriendly fauna. Another highlight of the night was Geneva Perkins’ performance of the song “Changing My Major” from Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, both bawdy and strangely endearing. Based on what I saw, the cabaret left me with this impression: that the performing arts here in the Fraser Valley most certainly have a bright future ahead.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

CULTURE & EVENTS Field House Brewing ticks all of the boxes BRADLEY PETERS CONTRIBUTOR

Photographs: Field House

Something is happening in Abbotsford, and it all seems to be focused on the formerly derelict section of “Old Abby.” Young entrepreneurs are looking at the low prices and hidden potential of this once shunned neighborhood and giving it new life. One of these visionaries is Josh Vanderheide, founder and owner of Field House Brewing Co., which is almost hidden in an old auto body shop on West Railway Street. As I entered the warehouse-style building, I was hit with notes of fresh beer froth and coffee grounds. The transition from the ambiguous facility exterior to warm, wood cabin interior is pleasantly jarring. I took this time to admire the tasting room. Thick wood beams, an industrial metal fireplace, and clean concrete countertops felt constructed to endure generations, but with stylish washrooms and beautiful photographs, the whole design meshed to give the entire place a “modern farmhouse” vibe. The space was dotted with young people on laptops sipping hot coffee or rich beer, and Vanderheide could be seen walking around and laughing with groups of patrons. Vanderheide sat down with me at a long oak table, with both of us hoisting mason jars, each brimming with freshly brewed beer. He described his prior design studio business in Gastown while I sipped my salted black licorice porter — hands down the best beer I have ever tasted. Trust me, it’s ridiculous; the licorice is mild — you wouldn’t guess it without the name. It’s dark but smooth, full but crisp, sweet, somewhat salty, and refreshing. While I was distracted by my newfound love, Vanderheide explained why he got into craft beer, and I forced myself to tune back in: “The world of craft beer is all about community, all about sharing and high fives and helping each other out. It’s totally unique.” But why leave Vancouver, land of the startups, to create Field House in Abbotsford? “I want to raise my kids here; Abbotsford is my hometown. I want to build something here for these people and this community.”

He sipped his almost champagne-coloured sour wheat gose. “This is my community.” Vanderheide continued, elaborating further, “It’s awesome to see in the public, as well as within the local businesses. That’s why we have the Oldhand Coffee booth here.” He gestured to the barista sitting behind her wooden station in the corner. “It’s amazing what can happen when you bring different people together. It’s magic.” Vanderheide then went on to describe how Abbotsford is growing. “Abbotsford is changing because of the entrepreneurs before me. Spruce Collective, Oldhand, Duft & Co. These guys paved the way. They deserve the credit.” I asked, “So you definitely think something is happening in Abbotsford?” “Oh yeah. There is a newschool way of thinking in Abbotsford.” The beers were empty and the conversation ended with a bro hug. Before leaving, Vanderheide reminded me that in the end, it all came down to the product. “I think it’s great we made a nice tasting room, but we also made a truly amazing product. We put the product first.” “Parker [the head brewer] worked so hard to develop great and unique beers. The people that work here are the best. Amazing product, amazing team, great location; I think these are all keys to success.” After our talk, I cradled a cup of coffee from the Oldhand Coffee station and sat at the table near the fire. I pondered the theme of our interview, the meaning. And then it hit me. It was the word “community.” I began ticking my notepad every time I heard the word. Something felt different. I gazed around. Warmth and joy felt tangible, tenderness permeated throughout like the glowing embers of a long burning fire revealing everyone as family. I left feeling a new appreciation for the place I call home, and as I walked to my car I remembered the 29 new tick marks in my journal. This is Abbotsford. I too am proud of my community.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

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CULTURE & EVENTS

Illustration: Sultan Jum

Complexities of terrorism investigated at UFV forum JEFFREY TRAINOR THE CASCADE

Terrorism is a multi-faceted term that has a wide array of connotations and interpretations depending on who you ask. To some, terrorism solely relates to groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda who are posing current threats to Western civilization. However, others have a longer and broader relationship to the term, which sees Western civilization as also guilty of committing terrorist acts. Some notable examples of this can be seen in the historical and present situation between Israel and Palestine, or in acts against First Nations groups in Canada. These diverse perspectives were on display as part of the University of the Fraser Valley’s second open forum on terrorism, inciting a lively and tension-filled discussion period following the formal lectures. The lectures revolved around the seminar’s theme, Towards Peace and Security: Putting Terrorism in (its) Place, and was hosted by UFV associate dean of arts Ken Brealey. The forum featured nine five- to six-minute lectures by professors from multiple disciplines at UFV as well as Simon Fraser University. Furthermore, the forum also featured mini-lectures from James Ward (Sakej), a member of the Mi’kmaq Nation, and Layla Mohammed of UFV’s Muslim student club. Each lecture focused on different aspects of the complex issue that is terrorism while also discussing what would be needed in order to put an end to terrorist threats and actions. The three primary aspects of terrorism that the lectures focused on were state terrorism; the looming and active threat of groups such as ISIS; and the role “sense of place” plays into the terrorism equation today. In terms of state terrorism, Stephen Schroeder of UFV’s peace and conf lict

studies program discussed how Israel and their actions towards Palestine fit under this term. In this conf lict, Palestinians have often been branded as “terrorists,” but Schroeder argued, using the framework of the poem “Letter to the Americans” by Ammiel Alcalay, that this simply isn’t the case. The poem discusses how Palestinians have been subject to incarceration without trial, adverse possession of land, inability to access clean water, and aerial bombardment. Schroeder posed this as a simple question: “How would you respond to living under these circumstances in your own country?” Ward took the same approach when discussing the position of First Nations groups in North America. “Canadian colonial terrorism looks like the naval bombardment of native villages … the administering of biological terrorism through smallpox … [and] the forced removal of 150,000 children who had to suffer sexual and psychological abuse just to be taught that they had to be subjects of Canadian authority.” Political science professor Ron Dart expanded on this growing concept of “state terror,” noting that it was related to the term “constructive terrorism,” which he described as “what first world people have done to the third world.” He noted that this type of terrorism is the basis for all colonization movements, not only in North America but in South America, Africa, and the Middle East as well. Another revolving point of discussion considered ISIS and the active threat of terror. This involved small lectures on why people turn to terrorism, how to recognize the process, and the complex nature of terrorist cells. Though all these discussions were important, modern languages professor Ghizlane Laghzaoui’s breakdown of the drastic differences between Islam and Islamism was most insightful. Laghzaoui broke down the differences in structure,

belief systems, and even language use, such as with jihad in Islamism and ijithad in Islam. She noted that “there is a fundamental difference between jihad, which is more like a crusade, a vicious conception … while ijithad is a personal journey; the discovery of faith.” Laghzaoui added that just this alone presents a huge difference in perception between the two. The last key aspect that was discussed revolved around the loss of place among people in the world today. Garry Fehr, director of the Agricultural Centre for Excellence, noted that “in the past there were place-based wars where official armies met,” and they fought to gain territory. Now he suggests that acts of violence have “been spatially separated from the people of the homelands.” For example, Fehr explained that Canada dropping bombs on foreign countries beyond our borders is not done to add territory to the country, and almost relates to the foreign war broadcasts within George Orwell’s classic novel 1984. He theorized that the global drawing of boundaries “that in many cases are straight lines that don’t follow anything besides natural boundaries” ignores the traditions and languages of the people who live there. This causes the people to strike back to where they see the cause of the division: history. Following the lecture portion of the seminar the f loor was opened up to questions, which ended up bringing drastically diverse perspectives regarding the term “terrorism.” While the discussion was held in the Student Union Building on the Abbotsford campus, many members of the community filled the audience, more so than students. One man discussed in length his idea that terrorism stemmed from colonialism, and that we are still dealing with that history today. He also noted a need to realize that terrorism is a larger issue than just “suicide bombers.” Dart

responded by noting his observations were “apt and insightful,” but asked whether he had anything to offer towards the current acts of violence through groups such as ISIS, and attacks such as those in Paris and 9/11. When the man stated that we don’t have the facts on the people attacking Paris, that we only received information about current terror through the media, panelist Gareth Davies, from the SFU criminology department, got up from his seat on the panel and sat across from the man in the audience. “We know ISIS were behind the attacks in Paris,” Davies said. The man replied with another set of questions: “Does an ISIS person come up to you and say this? How do you know?” “Because they say they did,” Davies responded. “It’s not like [the] government is telling us, it’s them telling us.” The audience member repeated his question, asking, “How do you know it is them?” Davies replied by simply saying, “I have faith,” and moved from the seat in the audience to collect his things. He left the forum shortly after. This altercation displayed the gravity and complexity of the term “terrorism.” Though the title of the forum looked to “put terrorism in its place,” the forum itself added to the multiplicity of the issue. Broadening the discussion from simply focusing on attacks such as 9/11 and Paris, it revealed that there are multiple layers throughout our history, buried in the past, that relate to terrorism, and that events that happen on a daily basis often don’t get recognition in the regular news cycle. The seminar sought to shed light on all these facets of the complex terrorism question — because without all the facts, it is always impossible to answer the question.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

CULTURE & EVENTS BELOW THE BELT

Want a clearer complexion? Have more sex PROFESSOR XXX SEXPERT

Sex is great for a lot of things; it can burn off calories, it can increase creativity, it can deepen the bond you share with your partner. It can also help clear up that acne break-out. Yup, it’s true. It’s one of many skincare related pros that can result from enjoying a romp in the sheets, according to professionals such as Amy Wechsler, David Weeks, Annie Chu, and Claudia Aguirre, all of whom have spent much of their personal lives studying the effects of sex on the skin. And hoo-boy, does sex ever do a lot for skin. A quick run-down of some sweet skin-care related sideeffects of sexual intercourse include: reducing wrinkling, preventing dry skin, minimizing the appearance of cellulite, helping repair skin damage, plus, for the young adults among us, it can also help zap zits and alleviate acne. Let me tell you, that last one is pretty dope. The secret to sex’s skin strengthening is due to several different chemical reactions; after all, sex is all about chemistry. In this case, the secret to sexy skin lies in the release of endorphins, oxytocin, and androgens such

as testosterone and estrogen, which all occur when two (or more) individuals get their freak on. Oxytocin and endorphins are released throughout the body as well as through sweating during sex, and they both contribute to that wonderful sense of pleasure that accompanies a good lay. But they also have a second benevolent effect on our bodies, and a slightly more visible one at that. Both of those chemicals are also anti-inf lammatory, so they’re responsible for soothing irritated skin, helping to heal scratches and cuts, as well as smoothing out pimples and zits, which are often caused by inf lammation due to a buildup of sebum, which is an oily secretion from the sebaceous glands beneath the skin. Sebum production can be inf luenced by a variety of factors, but the most common one is in the increased production of testosterone, the male sex hormone, that accompanies the onset of puberty. This is considered to be a major factor in why acne outbreaks are longer lasting and more severe in adolescent males than in females. Estrogen production can also lead to acne breakouts in females by promoting sebum production beyond what the body can secrete. This leads to pores clogging and skin inf lammation. Which are then undone by those chemicals released during some good ol’ lovin’. Illustration: Brittany Cardinal

Efforts for sustainability continue at UFV ALEX RAKE THE CASCADE/PHOTO

UFV’s Green Team met last Thursday to discuss environmental sustainability at the university. Talking points included upcoming events, composting, recycling, and energy use at UFV, and ways of moving forward with different sustainability initiatives. There was also pizza. Currently, the group is hosting “Sweater Week ” at UFV, “a week-long celebration of cold weather and a reminder to bundle up and turn down your heat.” You can tweet photos of yourself in your themed sweater to @green_UFV, and you can also drop off sweaters for donation at the facilities office (B150 at the Abbotsford campus). The team, chaired by biology instructor Pat Harrison, consists of environmentally conscious volunteers from the Faculty of Science, UFV Facilities, and Students for Environmental Advocacy (SEA), as well as other students and employees of UFV in general. It is just one component of UFV’s Centre for Sustainability, which exists to fill what it calls “a need in the Fraser Valley for a centrally located body for the efficient collection, storage, and analysis of environmental data.” The Centre has existed as a committee for over 30 years, but the Green Team has only come into being in the last decade. Originally, the Green Team was an effort initiated

by Prism Engineering with BC Hydro, but as “funding was cut by Hydro, [the Centre] has taken it over,” Harrison says. “We didn’t want the program to come to an end.” When it comes to expansion of the Centre in general, Harrison says “progress is slow, but steady.” “We’re trying to brand the Centre so that all efforts on campus that are sustainable are kind of going to that branding,” Harrison says. “So that if people say, ‘Oh, you want to do something sustainable? We’ll contact the Centre for Sustainability.’” According to Harrison, there were once three different websites dedicated to sustainability at UFV, but now they have been consolidated into one. “Not so much for control,” he explains, “but so there isn’t all that overlap.” The Centre also hosts a seminar series — greenSPEAK. This series represents the academic side of the Centre. “One of the great schisms in the centre has always been: are we research-oriented, or are we practical-oriented? And I thought we should be all things,” Harrison says. The Green Team’s student members are mostly science majors. Alyssa Bougie, biology major and sustainability coordinator assistant at UFV, says there is “a pretty even mix between bio and geography [students]. Occasionally you get somebody in CIS or something like that.” The Green Team meets once per semester, and is open to all students and employees of UFV.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

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ARTS IN REVIEW FILM RETROSPECTIVE

Skip the Sparks This Valentine’s Day, consider Charade, a spy-romance-thriller (and remake) that opens with a dead husband

RACHEL TAIT CONTRIBUTOR

In the year 1963, Universal released Charade, a smash hit, roller-coaster thriller. An Alfred Hitchcock-inspired suspense story about a woman named Regina Lampert (played by Audrey Hepburn) who comes home from a vacation in the Alps to find her apartment empty and her husband, whom she was going to divorce, dead — “thrown off a train like third-class mail.” Prior to this she meets the mysterious Peter Joshua on holiday, (played by Cary Grant), who is the only one she can trust — or can she? Aided by a French detective and the pleasantly knowledgeable Mr. Bartholomew (Walter Matthau), a CIA administrator, Regina finds herself in a web of deceit, as Joshua is found out to be lying about who he is. A group of three dangerous men begin pursuit, the net tightens, no one is who they say they are, and one thing is certain: the clock is ticking and people are desperate. The casting is superb in this classic film: Audrey Hepburn innocent and expressive, with welltimed humour and charm; Cary Grant playing “Cary Grant,” the sturdy protector, the tough, romantic hero; and Walter Matthau, bringing a sinister presence behind a false identity. In particular, the verbal sparring and cleverly written dialogue by Peter Stone (also the screenwriter of the Hitchcockinf luenced Mirage and the original Taking of Pelham One Two Three) helped establish the personalities of the characters. In 2002, director Jonathan Demme, following the production of his adaptation of Toni Morrison’s Beloved, decided to take on an experiment: remake a classic (not unlike Gus Van Sant’s remake of Hitchcock ’s Psycho a few years previous.

Casting Thandie Newton and Mark Wahlberg in the Hepburn/Grant roles, The Truth About Charlie revolves around the same premise, however, it is its own different film.

it is also more romantic, balancing the spy seriousness with light humour and fun. In The Truth About Charlie, the sequences and scenes are much more intense, fast-paced, with a

The inf luence of the 40 years separating the original and remake is the most noticeable of the changes, as more modern elements are incorporated into the movie. The pace of Charade is a lot slower than its remake, and

dark presence hovering over the characters. The audience knows something bad is going to start happening as the search begins to unfold. A very brilliant strategy used in both films is the use of images going around

in circles. In Charade, the opening credit sequence by Maurice Binder, who would go on to do the credits sequences for 14 James Bond movies, beginning with Dr. No, uses psychedelic spirals, wheels, and mazes — simple images that convey the idea of going around in circles and getting nowhere, which is what happens to most of the characters in the movie. In the remake, Demme uses 360-degree camera pans to tip the audience off that all is not as it seems and to hint that a character is lying or deceiving Newton’s Regina Lampert. Casting-wise, Newton brings a more foxy appeal to the updated version, while still keeps the innocent vulnerability that draws in Wahlberg’s character. Some of the characters were drastically changed to put a new twist on the story, with Wahlberg much more expressive (rather than debonair) in his expressions There’s also the villains: M a t t h a u ’ s portrayal is more cold-blooded and vengeful than Tim Robbins’ in The Truth About Charlie, who is a tragic war hero, not necessarily out to kill anyone. This is significant, because it really does give off a new feel in the remake. You learn to be afraid of Matthau in Charade, but in The Truth About Charlie, you might feel compassion for Robbins, betrayed, and almost justified in the end. The object of desire, the endgame of the pursuit, remains the same: a very rare and valuable stamp, one worth millions. With these two films, each is unique in its renditions and interpretations of the source, a story by Stone, however, Charade will always be the showstopper.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

ARTS IN REVIEW

Shuffle AARON LEVY CIVL STATION MANAGER CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy and co. make their live performance debut this Friday at O’Neill’s Home Cooking, and here is a shuffle of tunes to show what you’re in for.

Bruce Springsteen “Nebraska” The title track from an album as sweet and serene as it is cold and heartless, I’ve lived most of my life wishing I could call to fruition the simplistic yet precise aesthetic of this four-track-demo-turned-classic-Americana recording gold. True stories count for lots these days. Wilco “She’s a Jar” It’s a soft and subtle song that brings up some uncomfortable, nerve-racking and nearly violent imagery, but it’s from a positivist, concerned perspective that somewhat undercuts — but still leaves you wondering about — the passive aggressive presumptions of a partner obviously in some sort of lifelong, unacknowledged but nevertheless crippling pain. TV on the Radio “Crying” Batting #2 on the masterpiece recording from Brooklyn’s most iconoclastic aughts success story, "Crying" laments the ways of the world as TVOTR always does. “Mary and David smoke dung in the trenches while Zion’s behaviour never gets mentioned.” Lyrics that, even in the midst of a jaunty number like this, haunt. Billy Joel “The Stranger” Likely the best whistle to open or appear in any section of any song ever, and I’m not going to loosen my stance here. Seriously sick listening. The whispered whistles give way to a ZZ-Top-esque guitar riff that completely changes the mood into fear and loathing in Palm Springs.

CHARTS 01

You Say Party Ignorance

Suede Night Thoughts

David Bowie Blackstar

Dressy Bessy Kingsized

Junior Boys Big Black Coat

Wavves V

Homeshake Midnight Snack

Nouveau Cliché Walk in my Shadow

Derrival Departure & Arrival

Foreign Diplomats Princess Flash

Modern Space Before Sunrise

New Order Music Complete

Emilie & Ogden 10 000

VIDA EP

Milk Toast Return to the Moon

She-Devils She-Devils EP

Disclosure Caracal

Colin Linden Rich in Love

Keith Richards Crosseyed Heart

The Ballantynes Dark Drives, Life Signs

BOOK REVIEW

Laws & Locks is slow-burn Canadian-Scottish poetry MARTIN CASTRO THE CASCADE

Laws & Locks is, at its most bare-bones, preoccupied with a cursory history of the Campbell clan, of which Chad Campbell, is a contemporary descendant. The sections which Laws & Locks is broken up into are representative of the journey travelled by the Campbell clan both in physical space (from Scotland to Canada) and time (the Campbells arrived in Canada in 1827). As a thematic bridge, the device works to allow Campbell to explore his own heritage through the eyes of his ancestors, although there are no distinct shifts in voice between poems in the collection to signif y whether any one poem is supposed to be taken in a context specific to any one of Campbell’s relatives (however distant). That said, the fact that the poems perhaps aren’t that distinct in voice doesn’t detract from their individual triumphs, which are ever-present. Campbell, evidently, is more adept at distilling a short, concise, yet vivid verse than he is at crafting more drawn-out poems, as his focus seems to get muddled when dealing with a subject that doesn’t inherently lend itself to a more immediate and concise representation on the page. Poems like the multi-sectioned “Gridling” overstay their welcome, straining to intertwine multiple details in the construction of a solid image. It’s perhaps telling, then, that where Campbell shines is in the several prose poems spread out through

Laws & Locks. “Entirely Our Own,” for example, paints a more clear picture of the sorrow that comes with loss, and the madness that oftentimes follows grief. Campbell hints at a pattern throughout his extended family, which he refers to as “something coming unhinged,” and while the more economic use of language employed in poems that don’t follow the prose form is easier to take in (Campbell’s prose poems are comparatively denser), the sentiments and images suffer, coming off as less focused and refined than their prose counterparts. An example of the more focused, more vivid poetry of the prose variety found within Laws & Locks is “Iain Lachlan Campbell,” which through the use of direct, relatively curt prose accomplishes clarity of image in presenting a sketch (but not a caricature) of a gruff man set in his ways, and his death due to cancer in a 14-line stanza. It’s this clearly-presented vision which, although it doesn’t permeate the whole of Laws & Locks, is always there in its more triumphant moments. Although the prose sections of Campbell’s first collection dominate in their accomplishment, more traditionally-structured poems, such as “Leaving Islay” portray the landscapes of Canada in as clear and poignant a way as might be desired. And while the connections between individual poems seems to be rooted in aesthetics and not immediate narrative content or even recurring images or sentiments, Campbell’s verse is to the reader a slow, steadily burning candle; not f lashy, but earthy and dependable — of substance.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

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ARTS IN REVIEW MOVIE REVIEW

The critical truth, a writer, and his invented narratives meet face-to-face SONJA KLOTZ THE CASCADE

In this engrossing film of justice, insanity, and the search for truth, New York Times journalist Mike Finkel (played by Jonah Hill) experiences trials as he attempts to rebuild his tarnished reputation. As he transitions into a new chapter of his life, Finkel learns about someone who is in a similar state of displacement and trials, Christian Longo (played by James Franco). Longo is the main suspect in a horrendous crime, and spurned on by his fascination with Finkel’s writings throughout the years, he steals Finkel’s identity after being arrested in Mexico while on the run. The entire story unravels as the two ally together to write the story on the crimes from Longo’s perspective, since no other media wants to risk their reputation. Both of them find a fascination in each other’s trials and understanding of their true selves. True Story was one of the most intense films I have watched in a while. The cinematography and soundtrack were both riveting at times. The opening scene is disturbing, horrific, and unsettling to say the least. Although Netf lix has categorized the film as suspenseful, I would say it goes beyond that. The simple scene layouts throughout the

film were what made the cinematography so enticing. The film’s use of darkness and light, as well as minimal interactions between the characters contributed greatly to the vast emotions that I experienced watching the movie. Moreover, the use of f lashbacks (family scenes) and crosscutting (bringing the two characters’ lives together) really captured the complexity of this search for truth and justice. I was able to feel a glimpse of what Mike was wrestling with in regards to providing a voice and platform for those who are not only marginalized, but criminalized by society as a whole. That being said, there were times where I felt that some scenes were a bit too drawn out. Although there was much subtext in the short conversations that were portrayed between the main characters and secondary characters, as a viewer I was hoping for more in-depth dialogue with some of the secondary characters, such as Mike Finkel’s wife Jill Barker (played by Felicity Jones). The scenes which depicted Jill living her life in a dark and lonely world as her lover becomes absorbed with the life of this horrific stranger whom society has clearly criminalized were emotionally moving in their own way, but I wish I could have learned more about her journey through it all. After all, capturing the firsthand perspective of an accused murderer does not necessarily come without a cost.

The film’s soundtrack, arranged by Marco Beltrami, provided a constant sense of eeriness throughout. At times I found it to be over the top due to how often it was apparent, and how it was played. The dynamics of the musical score did not always fit the scene. Just as the music crescendoed, I would think something drastic would be discovered — however, it would be just another simple scene of one character re-evaluating their and life and values. Of course it can also be argued that it is these musical dynamics that really captured the turmoil the characters felt

about the circumstances. The only unscored scenes in the movie come during the climax of the plot and some of the very short, yet powerful monologues delivered by some of the secondary characters. True Story really captures some of the realities people in such circumstances experience. Giving voice to those who are stripped of their liberties and freedom, and providing second chances for some of the people who have failed miserably in their field of work are just some of the struggles that people live with.

THEATRE REVIEW

Gallery 7’s The Giver condenses a classic story of conformity PANKAJ SHARMA CONTRIBUTOR

This past Friday was opening night for Gallery 7 Theatre’s run of The Giver, and true to their established reputation, it was a good performance. With a runtime of only around 80 minutes, the adaptation of Lois Lowry’s famous novel still manages to hit all the notes of the book and explore its themes of emotion, individuality, and what we are willing to surrender for easier lives, doing its best to live up its less-than-cheery source material, something that leading man Cameron McKerchar — a former (but hopefully returning!) student at UFV — says creeped into the play’s creative process. “It [can be] hard to have a laugh with everything else going on — that has stood out to us since the beginning. I think there just is a bit of desensitization to it as well for us in the cast.” The Giver takes place in a community where, for generations, the rules of “sameness” have been enforced to inhibit emotional depth, bonds of love, and choice. Instead, family units, death, and occupations are engineered by committee according to strict guidelines and regulation. Jonas, a young boy with the gift to “see beyond,” is chosen by his community elders to become the next “receiver of memory,” a highly honored but dangerous position. Perhaps not the most original premise for young-adult dystopian fiction, but the way the story unfurls and gathers pace gives a unique and pointed examination of what it means to live. As McKerchar says, “We’ve done our best to try and show that ‘Hey, as crazy as it is, these characters have a blissful ignorance to the truth and are extremely content with the way their lives

are. It’s all they know.’” As great as the script and stage direction were, the brilliant sound design contributed immensely when it came to drawing the audience into the story. From low-f lying aircraft or beating of character’s hearts, to the beautiful renditions of reclaimed memories, the sound design is used expertly without becoming overbearing. The foundation of any theatre adaptation, however, is crafted by the actors, and The Giver is no exception. The two leads, McKerchar as 12-year-old Jonas and Jay Danziger in the titular role of “the Giver,” added a genuine warmth and heart to the stage. The scenes with the two of them are among the most memorable and engaging within the play. When asked what his favourite moments during the production of The Giver were, McKerchar cited the real life events that — while originally unrelated to the production — wound up enhancing his performance. Namely, the birth of his niece: “I had no idea how to hold a baby, but then my niece was born [during] the rehearsal process on January 9, from my brother and sister-in-law who I live with. It's really brought this real-life connection to the play from something I've been dealing with in real life. I go home, there's my cute little niece, Alana, and then I go to the Abby Arts Centre, and there’s Gabriel, the doll that I have to interact with. Funny how things work out.” The Giver is another in Gallery 7’s tradition of wonderfully performed stage productions. With the reading break coming up, reward your hard work this semester with an evening at the theatre. Gallery 7’s production of The Giver continues February 3 to 6.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

ARTS IN REVIEW ALBUM REVIEW

A harrowing tale of drugs, prison, and life on the streets AMAN BHARDWAJ CONTRIBUTOR

Coming off of 2014’s critically acclaimed Piñata, Freddie Gibbs has returned with a third album, one that is much darker and more aggressive than its predecessor. Shadow of a Doubt is a record that explores the themes of trust, poverty, drugs, gangs, and ultimately the trials and tribulations of life in crime-infested streets. In direct contrast to the soulful production curated by Madlib on Gibbs’ Piñata, Shadow of a Doubt is incredibly gritty and hard-hitting, which is supported by the graphic and realistic imagery Gibbs displays on his verses throughout the album. His rapping ability and technique are as sharp as ever, his verses always f lowing in sync with the production. Together, these elements add to the heightened sense of paranoia on the record, as the circle of people Gibbs can trust becomes smaller and smaller with the passage of time. Stuck in a cesspool of cocaine, sex, weapons, and street gangs, Gibbs is surrounded by forces that are acting against him. Gibbs’ narrators focus and fixate on the concepts of wealth and drugs, both threatening to destroy his relationships with his family members, girlfriend, and daughter. Tracks such as “Insecurities,” “Forever

and a Day,” and “Rearview” are great examples of Gibbs’ storytelling ability and how he is able to paint detailed images of the obstacles he has faced in his life. On “Forever and a Day,” he raps, “I can’t even look my own momma in the eyes / Kicked out through the front door / She said the way a nigga livin’, if I die, she won’t be surprised / Tears on the Bible, she prayed for me / This can't be the life that she made for me.” It is no secret that his soul as well as his outlook are both damaged as he attempts to navigate through the problems in his life. “Extradite” explores the harsh realities of the street life as well as the mass

incarceration of African Americans. This track features two stellar, thoughtprovoking guest verses from one of the most underrated lyricists in hip hop, Black Thought (frontman for the Roots). Both artists refer to the devil as the one who “extradites” or destroys African Americans through the implementation of prison systems across the country. The devil in this song has many meanings, and Gibbs is fully aware of this figure, with lines such as, “Option was that minimum wage, live in a cage / Buildin’ a prison every day, man they cultivatin’ these slaves,” and then goes on to state, “If the devil die today, I’mma treat it like it’s a holiday.” Black Thought supports these statements with his own views: “They catch so many casualties, it’s like war / That’s the reason I don't believe in the hype y’all / The devil talkin’ ’bout, he wanna extradite y’all / Now I’m the nigga, he shinin’ the searchlight for.” Black Thought ends his verse with a selfref lection: “Writing a life sentence, sirens, fire engines / Tyrants, seen through the eyes of the wide lenses / Senseless crimes, cause some of us want to drive Benzes.” The production and the complex verses from both artists allows listeners to fully understand the constant anxiety, pressure, and racism that many African Americans have to suffer through on a daily basis in the impoverished neighbourhoods of

Mystery Jets still haven't found their sound JEFFREY TRAINOR THE CASCADE

As the Mystery Jets move from album to album, songwriter and frontman Blaine Harrison seems to continually redefine the group’s sound. To date, the Mystery Jets have penned records that have been labeled as post-punk revival, indie pop, and Americana. This trend of re-definition carries into the band’s latest release, Curve of the Earth, which leans heavily on atmospheric pianos and acoustic guitars to create a complex and often spacey offering. This cosmic feel attempts to bleed into the lyrical aspects of the album, though this isn’t very successful. The points where Curve of the Earth is successful come when Harrison isn’t afraid to give in to the pop sensibility that is lurking throughout his songwriting. The best examples of this come through in the tracks “Telomere” and “Bubblegum.” Each of these tracks features a heavy complement of synths, punchy drums, and melodies that easily get stuck in your head — the basic formula for a good pop song. Unfortunately, the sonic symmetry that is reached on these tracks are few and far between on the rest of the album Once you look past “Telomere” and “Bubblegum,” Curve of the Earth thins out drastically, though the track “Taken by the Tide” does have some sparkling moments within it. The primary issue is not only that the quality drops off, but that the song writing strays in multiple directions which make it hard to get in sync with the record as a listener. Some examples of this come in the form of “1985,” which is a ballad that becomes driven by

a modulated Hawaiian guitar part, and “Bombay Blue” and “Midnight Mirror,” which both seemed to sink into a more ‘90s British alternative rock sound and sit very similar to the type of things Radiohead were doing during that period. It’s not bad to have diversity within a record, but having such drastic shifts from track to track is jarring to listen to. On top of this, though the album is only nine songs in total, most tracks push the six minute mark in length and often exhaust themselves before coming to an end. For example, “Taken by the Tide” is a great alternative rock song that features excellent dynamic diversity between the verses (which are laid back and insightful) and the choruses (which are overdriven and inspired). However, the track simply carries on for far too long and wears itself out around the two-and-a-quarter minute mark, which is a common trend. The lyrical aspects of Curve of the Earth are also riddled with issues. There is an apparent desire in Harrison’s writing to have an otherworldly feel, but most of the time these lines come off as cheesy. An example can be found in the track “Saturnine,” where he sings, “Suddenly you arrive / A distant star in two lovers' eyes / But you had no choice / Appearing in this place / Before you had a voice / You were born to run the race.” The attempt is there to connect to something bigger than ourselves, but the rhythm and lyrical depth leaves much to be desired, and this is unfortunately a theme throughout the album. When Harrison steps away from trying to write spaceinspired lyrics, he is actually quite successful, such as on “Taken by the Tide,” where the chorus belts out, “Well it seems so long ago / We were just kids … Brother I reached

America. This is the album’s centrepiece, as it showcases the chemistry between both artists and paints a vivid image of racism, prison systems, and black-on-black crime in America. The second half of the album, particularly the tracks “10 Times” and “Lately,” are just bits of filler that contribute nothing to the album itself, as they seem to go against the main themes already established in the narrative of Gibbs’ tumultuous life in the streets. “10 Times,” featuring Gucci Mane and E-40, delves into a braggadocious debate about women, which just seems uninspired and does not fit well in the context of this album. “Lately,” on the other hand, explores subject matter that has been covered already in the tracks prior to it. These tracks disrupt the f low in the narrative and themes of the record, but it picks back up again with “Basketball Wives.” While it may not be on par with Piñata, Shadow of a Doubt is an otherwise solid and introspective record that finds Freddie Gibbs rapping over gritty and haunting production, while demonstrating the variety of f lows he has in his arsenal. Gibbs showcases his remarkable storytelling ability and continues to remind everyone that he is one of the few credible gangster rappers remaining in today’s generation of hip hop.

ALBUM REVIEW

out / But you were taken by the tide.” But as mentioned, this doesn’t happen much. As discussed off the top, Mystery Jets have always seemed to have a problem honing in on “their sound.” Though Curve of the Earth does contain some moments of enlightenment, the disconnect from track to track and a lack of lyrical depth ultimately leaves the album feeling like a detached mess. It seems Mystery Jets have spent their entire career searching for their marquee sound. After Curve of the Earth, they are still as lost as ever.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Photograph: Mitch Huttema